ALBAWABA - According to French President Emmanuel Macron, if certain requirements are fulfilled, acknowledging a Palestinian state is both a moral obligation and a political necessity.
Macron stressed at a news conference in Singapore on Friday that if Europe does not effectively address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, it would have to take a more assertive collective stand against Israel.
The release of hostages held by Hamas, the disarming of the organization, and its exclusion from ruling any future Palestinian state are among the requirements Macron listed for France's possible recognition of Palestine. He also demanded that the future Palestinian state recognize Israel's right to exist and live in security, as well as changes within the Palestinian Authority. Another need was to establish a framework for regional security.
The French president's comments coincide with increasing Western pressure on Israel. France, the United Kingdom, and Canada issued a united statement earlier this week warning that Israel might face consequences if it does not stop its military operations in Gaza and relax restrictions on humanitarian supplies. The statement demanded that people have prompt access to supplies and denounced the growing misery in Gaza.
Macron already alluded to France's plan to recognize Palestine when he said in an interview in April that it may happen in June. He made it clear that this action will be performed when the time was right, not to please anybody. Additionally, he said he hoped such acknowledgment would persuade Palestinian officials to accept Israel's legitimacy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has harshly criticized the plan, rejecting the notion of a Palestinian state within what he claims is Israel's territory. Such a state, according to Netanyahu, would be an existential danger as it aims to destroy Israel.
Macron's remarks indicate that diplomatic recognition of Palestine may develop into a concerted campaign by many countries in reaction to the continuing humanitarian catastrophe, reflecting rising European dissatisfaction with Israel's conduct of the Gaza War.
