Israel slams France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood move

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Friday, July 25th, 2025

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JERUSALEM, July 24 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state, calling it a move that endangers regional stability and rewards terrorism.
President Macron made the announcement Thursday on social media platform X, declaring, “Consistent with France’s historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided to recognize the State of Palestine.” He added that the formal declaration would be made ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement from his office, Netanyahu warned that recognizing a Palestinian state under current conditions would risk turning it into “another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.” He argued that such a state would serve as a platform for attacks rather than peaceful coexistence.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed the criticism, stating that “a Palestinian state will be a Hamas state,” and referenced Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, which was followed by Hamas taking control of the territory.
Macron’s announcement follows his previous statement in April about recognizing Palestine during an international conference co-hosted with Saudi Arabia. The event, initially scheduled for June in New York, has been postponed until late July due to U.S. opposition.
Israel’s response reflects ongoing concerns over unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood without security guarantees or a negotiated peace process.