French President Emmanuel Macron's move to officially declare Palestine as a separate state at the next United Nations General Assembly in September has set off a storm of condemnation from both Israel and the United States.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the move as a "slap in the face to the victims of the October 7 attack," referring to the deadly Hamas attack that sparked the current war in Gaza. He called the move "reckless" and accused it of serving Hamas's narrative.
"This dangerous move serves only Hamas propaganda and puts back peace," Rubio tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), making Washington's firm opposition to the French stance clear.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the same, with him also warning that the recognition of Palestinian statehood at this moment "encourages terror" and threatens Israel's existence.
"It risks creating a second Iranian proxy, as Gaza became—a missile launch pad to destroy Israel, not to live next to it," Netanyahu replied to Macron's announcement.
France, the most powerful of all the European countries to grant such recognition, is the latest of 141 nations that already recognize or will recognize Palestinian statehood. It follows as international concern mounts at the deteriorating humanitarian disaster within the Gaza Strip, where more than two million Palestinians are living under abysmal conditions in the midst of Israel's relentless military campaigns.
The World Health Organization has characterized the crisis as "man-made," while French authorities blame the humanitarian breakdown on what they call an Israeli "blockade." Israel has, however, denied any complicity in exacerbating famine-like conditions, insisting that its policy is not responsible.
Israel's Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin also denounced France's declaration as "a black mark on French history and a direct assistance to terrorism." He further implied that the time had come to exercise "Israeli sovereignty" on the occupied West Bank, a territory Israel has controlled since 1967.
Top Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh thanked Macron for his action, declaring it to be evidence of "France's dedication to international law and support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood."
Hamas, the ruling faction in Gaza, also endorsed the action, declaring it "a positive step in the right direction" and an indication of justice towards "our oppressed Palestinian people." The organization called on other countries, especially in Europe, to emulate France.
Declaring the decision on Thursday, Macron stated the "immediate priority today is to stop the war in Gaza and save the civilian population." He underscored that the creation of a Palestinian state needs to be accompanied with guaranteeing its demilitarisation and mutual recognition by Israel in order to ensure peace in the area.
We must finally establish the State of Palestine, make it viable and empower it, by embracing its demilitarisation and recognition of Israel in full, to share the security of all Middle Easterners," Macron wrote on social media.
Other international and European leaders have welcomed Macron's move. Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Norway have already taken steps to acknowledge Palestinian statehood following the war that broke out close to two years ago after Hamas's attack on southern Israel.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed plans to speak with French and German leaders in an effort to urge an end to the conflict. A ceasefire would be a "path to the recognition of a Palestinian state," he said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government already recognizes Palestine, greeted France's position, stating that "the two-state solution is the only solution."
Saudi Arabia also praised Macron's move, describing it as "historic," while Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon C Harris tweeted that the act was "the only enduring basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike."
At least 59,587 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, have been killed during the ongoing Israeli military campaign, according to Gaza's Hamas government health ministry. In October 2023, 1,219 were killed during the Hamas attack on Israel, also predominantly civilians according to official data compiled by AFP.
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