Macron went on to recognize the Palestinian state alone after Canada and Britain refused due to the US - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize a Palestinian state in September, becoming the first Western member of the UN Security Council to do so. This move came after Great Britain and Canada refused to join the initiative due to their unwillingness to anger the United States.
French President Emmanuel Macron was forced to recognize the Palestinian state independently, as London did not want to anger the United States, and Ottawa took a similar stance, Reuters reports, citing three diplomats, writes UNN.
Details
President Emmanuel Macron's statement that France would become the first Western UN Security Council member to recognize a Palestinian state in September caused diplomatic ripples from the Middle East to Europe and Washington. But it came as no surprise, the publication notes.
Working with Saudi Arabia, Macron developed a plan for France and G7 allies – the UK and Canada – to recognize a Palestinian state, while pushing Arab states to soften their stance on Israel at a UN conference. However, despite weeks of negotiations, the publication writes, he failed to bring others on board.
Three diplomats said London did not want to anger the United States, and Ottawa took a similar stance, leaving Macron to act alone.
"It became increasingly clear that we couldn't wait to bring partners on board," a French diplomat said, adding that France would work to bring more states on board ahead of a two-state conference in September.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday that the British government would only recognize a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated peace agreement. This disappointed many in his Labour Party who want him to follow France's example and take quicker action.
After discussing with Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ways to pressure Israel to end the war in the Gaza Strip, Starmer said he was focused on "practical solutions" that he believes would truly help end the war.
"Recognizing a Palestinian state must be one of those steps. I have no doubt about that," he said. "But it must be part of a broader plan that ultimately leads to a two-state solution and ensures lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis."
More than 220 members of parliament – about a third of the lawmakers in the British House of Commons, mostly Labour – wrote to Starmer on Friday, urging him to recognize a Palestinian state.
One Labour MP told Reuters that there was discontent within the party with Starmer over the government's failure to take further diplomatic steps to condemn Israel. "Most of us are outraged by what is happening in Gaza and feel that we are too timid," the MP said.
Starmer's approach to the issue was complicated by the arrival of US President Donald Trump in Scotland later on Friday, with whom he has a warm relationship. In foreign policy, the UK has rarely diverged from the United States, the publication notes.
Addition
President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, July 24, that France would recognize a Palestinian state. This plan drew sharp condemnation from Israel and the US after similar actions by Spain, Norway, and Ireland last year.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Friedrich Merz agreed to "work closely on a plan" to "pave the way for a long-term solution and ensure security in the Gaza region," Downing Street said on Saturday. In the readout of the British Prime Minister's phone call with the French President and the German Chancellor, a UK government representative, as reported by The Guardian, stated: "The three leaders discussed the situation in Gaza, which they recognized as dire, and emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, Israel's lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the urgent provision of food to those in desperate need in Gaza."