5/30/2025–|Last update: 08:19 (Mecca time)
French President Emmanuel Macron considered today, Friday, that recognition of a Palestinian state is not “just a moral duty, but rather a political demand”, pointing to what he described as “some conditions” in order to do so.
Macron also confirmed during a press conference in Singapore that the Europeans should “tighten the collective position” towards Israel “if it does not provide a response to the level of the humanitarian situation during the coming hours and days” in the Gaza Strip.
A few days ago, the leaders of France, Britain and Canada threatened in a joint statement to take measures against Israel if its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip has not stopped since October 7, 2023.
“We will take measures if Israel does not stop its attack in Gaza and lift the restrictions on aid,” the leaders said in their statement, adding that “we strongly oppose the expansion of Israeli military operations in Gaza, that the level of humanitarian suffering in Gaza is unbearable.”
The statement stipulated that “if Israel does not stop its new military attack and raise the restrictions it imposes on humanitarian aid, we will take other concrete steps in response to this.”
Netanyahu and Macron
The statement also stressed that Israel’s refusal to provide basic aid to civilians in Gaza is unacceptable, calling on Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow the entry of aid.
Macron previously said in early April that Paris may recognize a Palestinian state in June, explaining during an interview on France 5 that “we have to move towards recognition (the Palestinian state), and we will do so during the next few months, I do not do so to please anyone. I will do it because it will be appropriate at some point.”
He added, “Because I also want to participate in collective efforts, the defenders of Palestine were able to recognize Israel for their role, which is not a matter of many of them.”
These statements angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he attacked the French president, saying that the establishment of a Palestinian state “in the heart of our homeland”, as he put it, is rejected, because it “only aspires to destroy us.”
