France Reaffirms Openness to Recognizing Palestine, But Says Timing Must Support Peace Process
French Foreign Ministry says Palestinian statehood “not a taboo” as Paris urges global focus on Gaza despite Israel-Iran war.
Watan-Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated Thursday that France’s recognition of the State of Palestine is “not a taboo”, emphasizing the importance of doing so at the right time to support a political resolution to the conflict.
Speaking at the ministry’s weekly press briefing in Paris, Lemoine said:“This issue is not off-limits. It must be addressed at a time when such recognition can help advance the political process.”
He also stressed that the recent escalation following Israel’s attack on Iran should not distract the world from the ongoing crisis in Gaza, noting that France is “closely monitoring the situation with great concern.”
French President Emmanuel Macron previously stated on February 16, 2024, that recognizing Palestine is “not a prohibited move” for France, signaling an openness to the step under appropriate conditions.
A “Palestine International Conference” was scheduled to be held at the UN headquarters in New York from June 17 to 20, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to discuss an end to the war in Gaza, revive the two-state solution, and encourage wider international recognition of Palestinian statehood.
However, following the latest Israeli attacks on Iran, Macron announced the conference’s postponement, without providing a new date.
