French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that his country will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September, calling it a necessary step towards a lasting peace solution.
The decision comes as the Gaza crisis has reached a humanitarian catastrophe, while international support for the Palestinian cause has also increased.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday that Palestinian independence is a “non-negotiable right,” adding that an immediate ceasefire could pave the way for the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution that would bring peace to both sides.
Starmer also announced that he would be in urgent contact with the leaders of France and Germany to discuss ways to stop the bloodshed and facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid.
Late Friday, the British parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee called on the government to formally recognize a Palestinian state “before it is too late.” They said in a statement that “an inalienable right cannot be subject to political conditions.”
On the Asian continent, the Saudi Foreign Ministry warmly welcomed the French decision, saying it showed international consensus on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent state.
Hamas, the main force in the Gaza Strip, called the French decision “a positive step in the right direction,” and called on all other countries to follow France’s lead.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the French decision. “A recognized Palestinian state would be a base for attacking Israel, rather than one that would coexist peacefully with it,” he said on Twitter. “The Palestinian people do not want to be neighbors with Israel, but rather a replacement for Israel,” he added.
UN data shows that more than 140 UN member states have officially recognized a Palestinian state, including European Union countries such as Spain and Ireland.
Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which killed 1,200 people, Israeli forces have launched a brutal bombardment of the Gaza Strip. At least 59,106 Palestinians have been confirmed killed, most of them women and children.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the destruction of vital infrastructure and hospitals has left millions of people suffering from hunger, lack of water and poor health services. UNRWA said on Thursday that one in three children in Gaza is acutely malnourished, and the number is rising daily.
More than 100 international organizations and human rights groups have jointly stated that Gaza is facing the threat of mass starvation, and have called on world governments to take immediate and effective measures.
