France leads push as Palestine seeks 10 more recognitions

PARIS

France is expected to call on other countries to join it in recognizing a Palestinian state during an international conference on a two-state solution on July 28, with the Palestinian leadership, in turn, expecting around 10 additional states to follow suit.

Dozens of ministers attended the United Nations conference in New York, which aims to lay the groundwork for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The event, hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, was postponed in June following Israeli airstrikes on Iran but is now moving forward — without the participation of Israel or the United States, both of which have chosen to boycott the meeting.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that France plans to officially recognize the State of Palestine in September during the annual U.N. General Assembly.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told La Tribune Dimanche that he will use this week's gathering to urge other countries to do the same.

“We will launch an appeal in New York so that other countries join us to initiate an even more ambitious and demanding dynamic that will culminate on Sept. 21,” Barrot said.

Palestinian envoy to the U.N. Riyad Mansour welcomed France’s initiative, calling it “a major, courageous, decisive, and important step,” and expressed hope that it would trigger a wave of recognitions.

“The conference may establish the recognition from around 10 other countries, in addition to France, of the implementation of the two-state solution based on the 1947 Partition Plan,” Mansour told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He named the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and San Marino as countries potentially considering recognition.

He added that such moves could eventually lead to full U.N. membership for Palestine.

Macron’s statement has raised expectations that other European countries may follow France’s lead. The United Kingdom is seen as a key potential supporter.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said that U.K. should wait to recognize Palestine at a time when it would have the “maximum impact,” though he has yet to indicate when that might be.

Italy and Germany, on the other hand, have distanced themselves for now, stating that they have no immediate plans to recognize Palestine.