France's recognition of Palestinian state: A 'symbolic' move with questionable effectiveness

Middle East Eye

3 days ago

The decision came after years of hesitation. It was constantly discussed, but never implemented.
On 24 July, French President Emmanuel Macron finally confirmed in a letter addressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that France will recognise the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
The announcement provoked the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who "strongly condemned" a decision that "rewards terrorism".
The United States, Israel's main supporter, considered it a "reckless decision [that] only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace".
The French president did not choose the date of his announcement randomly. Days later, on 28 and 29 July, a conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia devoted to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was held at the UN.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
On this occasion, the French authorities hoped to convince other states to commit to the same path. And their gamble appears to have paid off, at least partially.
On 29 July, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by then and "commit to a long-term sustainable peace reviving the prospect of a two-state solution".
The same day, 15 western countries led by France launched a "New York Call" stating their willingness to move toward recognition of a Palestinian state.
Several Middle East states and the Arab League also joined in a call for Hamas to end its rule in Gaza "in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state".
The joint statement was described as "both historic and unprecedented" by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who said that for "the first time" Arab and Middle Eastern countries "condemn Hamas, condemn 7 October, call for its disarmament, call for its exclusion from any form of participation in the governance of Palestine, and clearly express their intention to maintain normalised relations with Israel in the future and to join Israel and the future state of Palestine in a regional organisation".
'The idea is to set in stone the future creation of a Palestinian state. And this allows us to say to the Israeli far right: your goal of the Palestinians leaving their land is a myth, it won't happen'
- Source close to the French authorities
Then on 30 July, it was the turn of Canada to announce its intention to proceed with recognising the state of Palestine at the next UN General Assembly. It was followed by Portugal on 31 July.
While 148 countries currently recognise the Palestinian state, a majority of western countries do not. France, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, was the first G7 state to take the step.
According to Agnes Levallois, vice president of the Institute for Research and Studies on the Mediterranean and the Middle East (Iremmo) in Paris, "this decision has the merit of putting international law back at the centre of the Palestinian issue".
"It signals to Israel that a Palestinian state will indeed exist. And this at a time when statements opposing its creation are increasing," she told Middle East Eye.
On 23 July, the Israeli parliament passed a non-binding motion calling on the Israeli government to annexe the occupied West Bank, further undermining the prospect of a viable Palestinian state.
For a source close to the French authorities, "the idea is to set in stone the future creation of a Palestinian state. And this allows us to say to the Israeli far right: your goal of the Palestinians leaving their land is a myth, it won't happen."
'Public pressure has shifted the lines'
Macron still seemed hesitant just a few weeks ago. Last April, upon returning from a trip to the Egyptian city of Rafah, on the border with Gaza, he had mentioned a possible recognition at a UN conference on the two-state solution, which was then scheduled to take place in June.
He had made it conditional on the normalisation of relations between Israel and Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia.
Reckless or historic? World reacts to France's recognition of the state of Palestine Read More »
This still-elusive prospect of a French recognition of Palestine, which London was hesitant to join, was opposed by the US, which made it clear to Paris and London, as MEE revealed in June.
Meanwhile, Israel warned that it would annexe part of the West Bank if the UK and France decided to recognise the Palestinian state.
The war launched by Israel against Iran in June ultimately postponed the UN conference, and therefore a possible French decision.
Macron's announcement last week surprised many observers who thought France had eventually abandoned his project to recognise a Palestinian state.
"It was clearly the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza that made the President of the Republic decide. Front pages showing emaciated children have multiplied in the press," Levallois said.
"There are more and more statements calling for an end to starvation and Israel's offensive. Public pressure has shifted the lines."
While Israel's war on Gaza has killed over 60,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and caused immense destruction, the enclave is now also threatened by starvation triggered by the blockade on humanitarian aid Israel renewed in March.
'The French and Europeans must adopt measures that truly compel Israel to end the genocide. That is the priority. It is entirely possible, in terms of sanctions, to model what was done with Russia on Israel'
- Insaf Rezagui, researcher
The war is now widely described as a genocide by a growing number of countries, major human rights groups, such as Israeli NGOs B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, and international legal experts.
For Insaf Rezagui, a PhD in international law at the University of Paris Cite and a member of the Yaani group of researchers on Palestine, Macron's decision "was taken primarily to express disapproval of the situation in Gaza".
However, she told MEE, the decision "is above all symbolic" and "will not add much".
"France already implicitly recognises the Palestinian state through its political and economic relations, and even the presence of a consulate there [in occupied East Jerusalem]," she said.
"The French and Europeans must adopt measures that truly compel Israel to end the genocide. That is the priority. It is entirely possible, in terms of sanctions, to model what was done with Russia on Israel," she added.
No French sanctions against Israel
However, France is currently content with individual sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, where their violence has increased in recent months, and has so far ruled out any sanctions against the Israeli state or members of the government - unlike several countries including the Netherlands, UK, Australia and Canada.
This stance could be explained by its desire to maintain a channel of dialogue with the Israelis.
"There are very high-level relations between France and Israel. To maintain them, France is giving guarantees," said MEE's source.
Over 100 lawyers ask ICC to investigate Macron and French ministers for Gaza genocide complicity Read More »
The overflight authorisations granted by France to Netanyahu last February and April, despite the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court, is also part of this.
Furthermore, while Macron's announcement last week makes recognition no longer conditional on normalisation deals by Arab states, in his letter to Abbas, the French president spelled out a number of commitments made by his Palestinian counterpart that led France to take this decision.
They included the condemnation of the "terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023" and calling for the immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas, its disarmament and withdrawal from Gaza governance, and the demilitarisation of the future Palestinian state.
For rights groups and pro-Palestine activists, these diplomatic subtleties are now dangerously anachronistic.
Anne Tuaillon, president of the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), judges Macron's decision to recognise the Palestinian state as "positive", even if "late", but warns that "it will remain symbolic if everything is not done to end the occupation".
The AFPS advocates for several practical measures, such as the suspension of the Israel-EU Association Agreement, which is opposed by several member states, an arms embargo, a ban on imports of products from settlements and sanctions against companies established there.
'Macron's decision to recognise the Palestinian state is late, but positive. However, it will remain symbolic if everything is not done to end the occupation'
- Anne Tuaillon, president of the France Palestine Solidarity Association
The French foreign minister said he was in favour of the EU "ending all forms of direct and indirect financial support for settlements", but he did not commit to France adopting such measures at the national level.
Meanwhile, France has been repeatedly accused of delivering arms to Israel, despite denials from the authorities.
For the AFPS, the path to a resolution of the conflict lies through the implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution adopted by 124 countries, including France, in September 2024.
Based on a decision of the International Court of Justice, the resolution demands that "Israel immediately end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory [...] and that it does so no later than 12 months after the adoption of this resolution".
However, according to the AFPS, Paris has failed to respond to any requests regarding France's implementation of the resolution.
"What sense can there be in recognising a state whose land is colonised, whose people live under military occupation or in exile and endure an apartheid regime? The full implementation of [this] resolution precisely allows for an end to this occupation, colonisation and apartheid; otherwise, the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, including the right of return, cannot be respected," the NGO said.
"Furthermore, making recognition of the state of Palestine conditional on its demilitarisation amounts to depriving it of one of its essential sovereign powers and leaving its population exposed to attacks by settlers and the Israeli army."