‘Will this recognition bring back my family?’

On Sept. 22, French President Emmanuel Macron declared at the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly in New York that France recognizes the State of Palestine. This declaration is among statements from other European leaders who have also recognized Palestine as a state. This announcement followed the United Kingdom (U.K.), Canada, Australia and Portugal. The State of Palestine is now recognized as a sovereign nation by 157 UN member states — 81% of all members. 

At the UN General Assembly, Macron said, “The time has come to stop the war, the bombings of Gaza, the massacres and the displacement.” 

The recognition of the State of Palestine by France is not a sudden decision, influenced by other nations; rather, it is one that the state has been working towards since July. 

On July 24, Jean-Noël Barrot, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs delivered a speech during the plenary session of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, addressing why it is important for Palestine to be an independent state. 

“Recognizing a state of Palestine today means standing with the Palestinians who have chosen non-violence, who have renounced terrorism and are prepared to recognize Israel. It means creating the possibility of an alternative for the Palestinians. It means categorically rejecting and permanently isolating Hamas,” said Barrot. 

Quoting Emmanuel Macron, Barrot said, “France is prepared to fully recognize the State of Palestine, and will do so in September.” 

In the speech, Barrot stated that France has stood with Israel, believing in the right of its people to self-determination. 

He also said that France maintains the same belief for the Palestinian people, stating, “That is why France believes that the only alternative to the infinite cycle of violence in the prospect of these two peoples [is] having two states, living side by side in peace and security.” 

As part of the 1948 Partition Plan, Palestine was not declared a state because the “Arab side” opposed the plan and objected to the creation of Israel. The Palestinian Arabs refused to recognize Israel as they believed that the creation of the state was unfair to the Arab population and favorable towards Jewish people. In Barrot’s speech, he encouraged the Palestinian people to recognize the state of Israel and for both nations to respect each other’s rights. 

The speech was immediately condemned by Israel and rejected by the United States. This response is unsurprising, given that the administration under Donald Trump has been the most hostile in the history of the U.S. towards the demands of Palestinians. Since the speech in July, the relations between Israel and France have deteriorated, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, accused Macron of contributing to the increase of antisemitism around the globe.  

Last month, the announcements of recognition by Canada, Australia, the UK and Portugal were met with criticism across Israel’s political spectrum, and Netanyahu vowed to retaliate. 

“I have a clear message to those leaders who are recognizing a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre: You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize. I have another message for you: It’s not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River,” said Netanyahu in a video released on Sept. 21. 

The recognition of the State of Palestine has come after two years of war, which began after Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023. In the view of the Palestinian people, the recognition of the State of Palestine by France and other European countries has come too late and seems pointless, especially considering that the UN Human Rights Council commission maintains Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza since September. “While Palestinians welcomed the recognition of their state by a slate of European countries, others are angry at what they see as the international community’s complicit or passive stance toward Israel,” said Gilles Paris, a columnist and former correspondent in Jerusalem and Washington for Le Monde.

In an interview with Le Monde, Dr. Hani Badrane, a Palestinian cardiologist who lost all of his children and most of his extended family before being driven out of Northern Gaza City, said that the recognition “will do nothing for me.” 

“You, France, you, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, you’ve been silent for two years, you didn’t say a word, you did nothing. What does recognizing a Palestinian state mean? And what will I gain from it as a citizen? Will this recognition bring back my family? My job? My name and the scientific standing I had before the war,” said Badrane. 

The sentiments from both Israelis and Palestinians are polarizing. While some Palestinians celebrate, others are critical and even cautious of this decision. The negotiation and the logistics of the implementation of the State of Palestine are yet to be established.  

On Thursday Oct. 9, France hosted foreign ministers from Arab and European countries to talk about the future of Palestine and how to help the Palestinian people. Top diplomats from the five key Arab states were present: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Present European countries included Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. 

At the U.N., Macron said that he would make the release of hostages by Hamas a precondition for opening a French embassy to the Palestinian State. 

France’s recognition of the State of Palestine points to the growing support for a two-state solution. By joining other countries like Canada and the U.K., France opposes the U.S. and Israeli stance on the conflict. 

Photo Source: Jacques Paquier, Flickr