French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday publicly called upon the United Kingdom to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state, asserting it as the sole path to enduring peace and security in the region.
His remarks were made during a joint press conference in London at the conclusion of his three-day state visit.
“I believe in the future of the two-state solution… which will allow Israel to live in peace and security with its neighbours,” Macron stated. He advocated for a unified front between Paris and London, emphasizing, “We must unite our voices in Paris, London, and everywhere else to recognise a State of Palestine and initiate this political dynamic, which is the only one consistent with a perspective of peace.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed his government’s support for Palestinian recognition “as part of a process,” but underscored the immediate priority of securing a ceasefire in Gaza.
“The focus must now be relentless on securing a ceasefire that will allow politics to take precedence over fighting and allow humanitarian aid to arrive and the hostages to be cared for,” Starmer asserted.
In April, Macron announced that France intends to formally recognize a Palestinian state. That recognition was to have taken place at a UN conference in New York, which was scheduled for June. However, France and Britain later walked back those plans.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has long urged countries to recognize “Palestine” as a means of bypassing direct talks with Israel.
While several countries have recognized “Palestine” in recent years, those moves were symbolic ones that have little, if any, actual diplomatic effect.
More recently, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognized a Palestinian state in May of 2024.
In June of that year, Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state, after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela announced in late May that his country is set to officially recognize the “State of Palestine”.