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Sacre bleu. France will recognize a state of Palestine. Is this a shock or not something to get worked up about? This was posted on social media by President Emmanuel Macron last Thursday. He said he would formalize recognition at the UN General Assembly in September.
This was much touted, not least by the French leader himself, even when addressing the UK Parliament. Finally, he has confirmed his commitment, no doubt trying to carve out some legacy in his last two years of office and to show that France is still relevant on the world stage.
Will this matter? France joins 147 other states in making this move. It will be the first G7 member to do so. Sweden, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia are so far the only EU member states to have made the move while being part of the bloc, so Macron’s announcement is significant. Several other European states did so in the 1980s, including Poland and Hungary during the communist era.
Who else might follow suit? France’s move will look wiser if others follow. Belgium is a candidate. It has been one of Europe’s most ardent critics of Israel. Reports indicate it might make a decision in early September. Canada is also a possibility. However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni veered away from this. And Germany is unlikely to shift.
