French President Emmanuel Macron stated that “recognition of the Palestinian state today is the only way to provide a political solution to a situation that must come to an end”, confirming that Paris will take this decisive step at a United Nations conference on Monday.
In an interview with CBS News, Macron emphasized that this recognition is not the end, but rather the beginning of a political process which he hopes will lead to a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The French President sought to clarify that his call for the recognition of a Palestinian state and his opposition to the ongoing war in Gaza should not be interpreted as anti-Semitic positions.
His remarks came in response to criticism from the U.S. Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner—father-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner—who accused Macron of not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism in France. In August, Kushner went further, claiming that France’s foreign policy stance resembled incidents of violence against the Jewish people within France itself.
