France Will Recognize Palestinian Statehood, Macron Says

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/world/europe/france-palestine-statehood-macron-gaza.html

President Emmanuel Macron announced late Thursday that France would recognize Palestine as a state in pursuit of what he called the historical French commitment “to a just and durable peace in the Middle East.”

In a surprise statement on X that followed months of hints and hesitations over possible French recognition of a Palestinian state, he said that he would make a formal announcement to this effect at the United Nations General Assembly in September in New York.

“Today the most urgent thing is that the war in Gaza cease and the civilian population be helped,” Mr. Macron said.

Most nations of the world recognize Palestine as a nation, but the United States and most of its close allies do not. With Mr. Macron’s decision, France would become the first of the Group of 7 major industrialized nations — also including the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, Japan and Italy — to do so.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Hamas will be the Leaders

Just wait and see.

[AZProgressive]

7. Hamas isn't in control in the West Bank

Netanyahu allowed funds to go to Hamas from third countries before October 7th because he wanted to keep the West Bank & Gaza seperate to prevent a two state solution.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. People keep forgetting about the West Bank...

They also forget, or don't know or care, that Israel has kept the most promising future leader imprisoned for years. That's Marwan Barghouti. There's also up and coming people in the Palestinian Authority, but tbh it doesn't matter who the Palestinian people select as their leaders, Israel and the US will label them terrorists, all the while supporting and enabling terrorism when it's extremist settlers in the West Bank.

[tritsofme]

2. Who is the leader of this pretend "state"? Abbas? Currently in year 20 of his 5 year term?

Hamas? They are the elected government of Gaza, and probably the most popular political movement in all of the disputed territories.

Sounds more like a participation trophy than a state.

[hlthe2b]

3. Well, then maybe France should likewise look at their recognition of the US as a nation based on that criteria--TRUMP?

Yes, really.

And no, I've not stopped my abject derision for what terrorist Hamas has done to the Palestinian people--starting (but obviously ONLY STARTING) with their refusal to hold elections all these years.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. That will never happen

We have to save ourselves.

[Violet_Crumble]

8. What will never happen?

And who's 'we' and why can't 'we' handle more than one thing at a time?

Also, yr posts don't appear to be supportive of a two-state solution. If that's the case (and I'll ask this of the other one in this thread who referred to a Palestinian state as 'pretend', what's yr idea of a solution that would lead to Palestinians and Israelis living side-by-side in peace?

[red dog 1]

5. K&R

Netanyahu is a war criminal, and he needs to go!

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. UK Cabinet ministers and third of MPs call on Starmer to recognise state of Palestine

Keir Starmer is under intense pressure from his most senior cabinet ministers and more than a third of MPs to move faster on recognising a Palestinian state in response to Israel withholding aid to starving civilians in Gaza.

Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, are understood to be among ministers who believe the government should take the lead on Palestinian statehood alongside France.
...
Cooper and Rayner are among more than half a dozen cabinet ministers pressing for urgent action. The Guardian revealed this week that Wes Streeting, the health secretary, Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, and Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, have all pushed for recognition of Palestine at recent cabinet meetings.

Ian Murray, the Scotland secretary, and Jo Stevens, the Wales secretary, have also raised the issue in cabinet, according to a cabinet source. Murray and Stevens declined to comment.

Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, is also said to have called for action, and Lammy is said by colleagues to be pushing Downing Street to take a stronger stance. A government source said it was increasingly “everybody v No 10”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/25/cabinet-ministers-and-third-of-mps-call-on-starmer-to-recognise-state-of-palestine

Link to tweet

"221 MPs, from 9 parties, have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister & Foreign Secretary urging them to recognise Palestine as a state now"

[malaise]

10. Good

Rec