President Emmanuel Macron said Monday he hopes France’s recognition of a Palestinian state will prompt other nations to follow suit and urged countries that have not recognized Israel to do so.
"What we want to trigger is a series of other recognitions," Macron said in Paris during a visit to an Arab culture centre, days after announcing that French recognition of Palestine could come as early as June at a U.N. conference.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Macron called for an "urgent" cease-fire in Gaza Monday, as Hamas said it is prepared to free all hostages provided it receives guarantees that Israel will end the war.
Since the collapse of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in mid-March, Israel has relaunched its genocidal attacks on civilians in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people have since been displaced and Israel has blocked the entry of humanitarian aid.
In a phone call, Abbas and Macron "emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire, the acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery (and) the rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land," the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
"Both leaders reiterated the necessity of advancing a two-state solution based on international legitimacy", and for the Palestinian Authority to take responsibility in the Gaza Strip after the war ends, it added.
Macron, following his conversation with Abbas, said on X that "France is fully mobilised for the liberation of all hostages, a return to a durable ceasefire and immediate access for humanitarian aid into Gaza."
