French President Emmanuel Macron stated that recognising a Palestinian state was no longer “taboo” for France. Macron made these remarks at a joint press conference in Paris with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
“Our partners in the region, notably Jordan, are working on it, we are working on it with them. We are ready to contribute to it, in Europe and in the Security Council. The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France.”
According to a report in the Washington Post initiatives to create a Palestinian state were already underway but had so far been rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Reuters Netanyahu said he will not compromise on full Israeli security control west of Jordan and that this stands contrary to a Palestinian state.
“Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu wrote on X.
Though the French leader’s comments are largely symbolic, they highlight the growing impatience and unease of Western leaders at the rising death toll in Gaza. Over 28,000 people are believed to have been killed in Israeli retaliation post the Hamas attack on October 7 and 2.3 million people are now homeless.
“We owe it to the Palestinians, whose aspirations have been trampled on for too long. We owe it to the Israelis who lived through the greatest anti-Semitic massacre of our century. We owe it to a region that longs to escape the promoters of chaos and those who sow revenge,” Macron added in the press conference.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he has had extensive talks with Netanyahu. Biden has pushed for a humanitarian ceasefire, which believes would allow time to get the hostages out.
Netanyahu has so far rejected this writing on X, stating. “We will fight until complete victory and this includes a powerful action also in Rafah after we allow the civilian population to leave the battle zones.”
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