French President Emmanuel Macron announced and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will host a conference in June on the establishment of a Palestinian state, Macron announced on Tuesday.
“In the coming months, together we will multiply and combine our diplomatic initiatives to bring everyone along this path,” he said, in comments made during a visit to Saudi Arabia.
Asked whether France would recognize a Palestinian state, the French president said he would do so “at the right moment” and at a time “when it triggers reciprocal movements of recognition.
“We want to involve several other partners and allies, both European and non-European, who are ready to move in this direction but who are waiting for France” he added.
Ireland, Spain and Norway recognized a “State of Palestine” in May, though no such country exists.
Macron also spoke of an additional, simultaneous goal to “trigger a movement of recognition in favor of Israel,” which could “provide answers in terms of security for Israel and convince people that the two-state solution is a solution that is relevant for Israel.”
Saudi Arabia and Israel appeared close to a normalization agreement following the Abraham Accords. However, the process was derailed by the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023.
In November, Saudi Arabia reiterated its position that the kingdom will not formalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a Palestinian state. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud then accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly come out forcefully against the prospect of unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
A survey conducted by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs found that 64% of the Israeli public oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, even as part of the normalization process with Saudi Arabia.
