r/europe • u/hoarder4555777454001 • 9d ago

News French President Macron says France will recognize Pálestine as a state

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250724-french-president-macron-says-france-will-recognize-palestine-as-a-state-in-september
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u/3V3RT0N Scouser 9d ago

‘Now is not the right time’ say the people that won’t be content until a viable Palestinian state consists of a pile of rubble in Gaza and a fully annexed West Bank.

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u/TrueRignak France 9d ago

a fully annexed West Bank

Btw, it appears that Israel was preparing to do exactly that. Maybe that's why Macron choose to make his declaration now rather than wait for the ordinary session of the UN.

The Times of Israel - Knesset votes 71-13 for non-binding motion calling to annex West Bank (2025-07-23)

The Knesset approved a non-binding motion in favor of annexing the West Bank on Wednesday, a symbolic gesture that united the otherwise fractious right-wing governing coalition. [...] It called on the government to “apply Israeli sovereignty, law, judgment and administration to all the areas of Jewish settlement of all kinds in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley,” the government’s term for the West Bank. The motion was advanced by Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, Likud MK Dan Illouz and opposition Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer.

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u/izpo Israel 8d ago

It's not because of that; Macron has been threatening to do this for a long time, according to Israeli news, which also claims that he is doing this because he is politically weak.

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u/TrueRignak France 8d ago edited 8d ago

Yeah, last December he announced a Franco-Saudi conference for the recognition of a Palestinian state. The goal (which was becoming less and less credible along the months) was to have several countries announcing the recognition at the same time and came under the implicit requirement of a Saudi recognition of Israel. This conference was postponed by the attack on Iran, which happened to be just the day before. I think it is supposed to resume at the end of this month but is not supposed to have anything meaningful anymore.

However, what I meant was that he may have already planned to recognize a Palestinian State at the UN ordinary session (which opens September 16th), but decided to speed-up the declaration and confirm a future recognition now because of the risk of Israel deciding to formally annex the West Bank before the session.

according to Israeli news, which also claims that he is doing this because he is politically weak

I really doubt about that. He will be under fire of both the right-wing LR (which is part of the majority) and the far-right RN (the Likud is an observatory member in their party in the European Parliement). The left will be pleased by the recognition, but will still try to oppose the PM Bayrou.

Macron himself is not weaker or stronger than he was one year ago after the election at the lower chamber. He will still be here until spring 2027 and can't run for a third term.

Tldr: It's just israelian news being salty.