Israel, American, we withdraw talks from Gaza while Macron says that France will recognize a Palestinian state

French president Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that his country would soon recognize a Palestinian state, a decision condemned by Israel. The news came while talks on the search for a ceasefire in Gaza was interrupted when the United States and Israel recalled their delegations.

The departure of the American and Israeli delegations marked the last setback in the efforts to conclude an agreement which would bring a cease-fire in Gaza, guarantee the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas and would bring respite to the Palestinians suffering from aggravated humanitarian crisis.

The American envoy Steve Witkoff accused the Palestinian militant group of not having acted in good faith in the talks. Hamas said it was surprised by these remarks, adding that the group’s position had been welcomed by the mediators and had opened the door to reach a complete agreement.

“The movement affirms its way of continuing negotiations and engaging in a way that helps overcome obstacles and leads to a permanent cease-fire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement early on Friday.

An Israeli official with knowledge of talks said that Hamas’ response to the last cease-fire proposal “does not make it possible to progress without concession” by the group but that Israel intended to continue the discussions.

Israel and Hamas are facing pressures in the country and abroad to conclude an agreement after almost two years of war, the humanitarian situation inside Gaza deteriorating and the Israelis concerned by the conditions under which hostages are detained.

“France will recognize”

Macron announced Thursday the recognition decision on X, sharing a letter sent to the president of the Palestinian authority Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to get ahead and work to convince other partners to follow the step.

“True to his historical commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine,” said Macron.

“I will make this solemn announcement to the United Nations General Assembly next September.”

France, which houses the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, potentially giving a greater momentum to a movement until now dominated by small nations which are generally more critical of Israel.

The announcement has sparked the anger of Israel and is likely to obtain a difficult response from Washington.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Macron’s decision, saying that such a decision “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy”.

“A Palestinian state under these conditions would be a launch ramp to destroy Israel – not to live in peace next to it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not look for a state alongside Israel; they are looking for a state instead of Israel,” said Netanyahu in an article on X.

The Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described this decision as “a shame and a surrender to terrorism”, adding that Israel would not allow the creation of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security, would endanger our existence”.

In a diplomatic cable in June, the United States said it was opposed to all measures that would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state, even saying that it could go against foreign policies and arouse consequences.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

The Palestinian authority praised Macron’s decision.

“ We express our thanks and our assessment ” in Macron, said Hussein Al Sheikh, the vice-president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) under ABBAS, in an article on X. ” This position reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination. ”

Month of consideration by Macron

Macron, who has even less than two years in his second presidential mandate, had looked at to recognize a Palestinian state for months as part of an attempt to maintain the idea of a living solution in life despite the pressure not to do so.

The French authorities initially weighed the passage before a United Nations Conference, which France and Saudi Arabia had planned to co-hoster in June to exhibit the parameters of a roadmap towards a Palestinian state, while guaranteeing the security of Israel.

The conference was postponed under American pressure and after the start of the 12-day Israel-Iran-Iran war war, during which regional airspace was closed, which makes it difficult for representatives of certain Arab states to attend.

It was postponed and demoted to a ministerial event from July 28 to 29, with a second event which takes place with the heads of state and the government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

The decision to make the announcement before the next week’s conference was aimed at giving the French team of the UN a executive to work with other countries which also plan to recognize a Palestinian state or still have doubts.

Diplomats say that Macron faced the resistance of allies such as Great Britain and Canada for its thrust for the recognition of a Palestinian state. Forty foreign ministers will be in New York next week.

Israeli officials spent months to put pressure to prevent what some have described as “a nuclear bomb” for bilateral relations.

The idea that France, one of the closest allies of Israel and a member of the G7, could recognize that a Palestinian state would certainly exasperate Netanyahu.

According to familiar sources with the issue, Israel’s warnings to France have gone to reduce intelligence sharing to complicate Paris regional initiatives – alluding to a possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.

Israel has fought Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the deadly attack of the Palestinian militant group against Israel in October 2023 and says that the recognition of a Palestinian state is now equivalent to rewarding Hamas.

The war began when Hamas killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in its attacks on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli accounts. Israel has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Gaza health authorities.