French President Emmanuel Macron announced in June that he plans to recognize Palestine as a province, according to Euro News.
Macron made comments in an interview with a French television station during his two-day trip to Egypt.
“Our goal is to be able to chair this meeting sometime in June with Saudi Arabia, where we can confirm the mutual recognition movements of several people,” he said.
“I do that… At some point it’s fair and I have to allow all people who defend Palestine to recognize Israel in turn, because I think it’s because I also want to participate in collective dynamics.
Macron added that this will “have clarity in the fight against those who deny Israel’s right to existence,” and that it “reaffirms its commitment to collective security in the region.”
France is scheduled to chair a two-day UN meeting with Saudi Arabia in New York in June, which aims to advocate for a two-state solution after an 18-month war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
Currently, around 150 countries recognize Palestine as a province, with Ireland, Norway and Spain declared their recognition in May 2024.