When French President Emmanuel Macron shared his plans to formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, he said there was “no alternative.”
“We must build the state of Palestine, ensure its viability and ensure that by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the Middle East,” he wrote in French on Thursday, noting that it is up to the French, along with the Israelis, Palestinians and European and international partners, to prove that peace in the region is possible.
Macron’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state would be largely symbolic. However, it is notable in that France is the first major Western country to change its position on the issue since Ireland, Norway and Spain did last year.
But a turnaround on Palestinian sovereignty from Canada might not be forthcoming.
In a social media post on Friday, Israel Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote that he spoke with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and warned against “strong diplomatic attacks by certain countries against Israel” during ceasefire negotiations.
He said actions such as France’s would encourage Hamas to harden its stance in the Israel-Hamas war.
“Unilateral steps by France and other countries will only push Israel to take steps of its own,” Sa’ar wrote. “The French initiative harms the chances of achieving a hostage deal and ceasefire. It won’t promote stability in the region.”
That hasn’t stopped elected officials in the U.K. from capitalizing on the moment.
Friday, 221 British MPs — about one-third of the U.K. House of Commons — sent a joint letter calling for the country’s prime minister and foreign secretary to recognize a Palestinian state.
Carney criticizes Israel
Hours after Macron’s social media post, Prime Minister Mark Carney made a statement condemning Israel for its “denial of humanitarian aid” to civilians in Gaza.
Rather than address Macron’s intentions explicitly, Carney noted that Anand would take part in a high-level UN conference in New York next week, co-hosted by France, on the implementation of a two-state solution.
France will recognize a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.
Carney also described the mass starvation in Gaza ensuing from the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict as Israel’s “failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster” across the region.
More than 100 advocacy groups have been warning of hunger spreading in Gaza as ceasefire negotiations stall.
Israel, which controls all supplies entering Gaza, denies it is responsible for food shortages and accused the groups of “echoing Hamas propaganda.”
Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected Israel’s request to withdraw arrest warrants it had issued in November 2024 for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
Canadian governments previously said they would acknowledge a Palestinian state only after a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and Palestinian leadership.
Still, there have been some steps toward Canada possibly acknowledging Palestinian sovereignty.
Canadian MPs last year signed an open letter in support of recognizing a Palestinian state.
In November 2024, a Canadian parliamentary foreign affairs committee began to study a motion, which called for the federal government to find the quickest way toward recognizing Palestinian statehood.
And in May 2024, former prime minister Justin Trudeau suggested that Canada might acknowledge Palestinian sovereignty before the end of peace negotiations, with the aim of pushing forward a two-state solution.
