French President Emmanuel Macron made a disappointing, yet not surprising, decision, declaring that the French government will formally recognize Palestine as a state before the U.N. General Assembly this fall.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine,” Macron posted on X from his official account.
The French leader is facing domestic headwinds at home, with a decline in popularity due to party opposition, as well as rumors of his wife’s divorce, reported by British tabloids. This decision to wade into the Israel/Palestinian conflict is a way to change the political momentum. Regardless of his intentions or if he believes it, Macron’s decision to support an independent Palestine will not bring peace but rather exacerbate the conflict and bring further destruction to the Middle East.
France plays a leading role in Western Europe, along with the U.K., but acknowledging Palestine puts it at odds with other allies, including the United States and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed disapproval over France’s declaration, responding that “such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.” President Donald Trump dismissed Macron’s statement, saying, “What he says doesn’t matter,” and that his decision “doesn’t carry weight.”
It’s not entirely clear what Macron’s ceasefire plan entails, beyond virtue signaling for peace. His call for Hamas to lay down its weapons is unlikely, as they have control of the Gaza Strip. Palestinians broke the ceasefire when they invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and murdered 1,200 people, including men, women, and children, and still have hostages.
One of the many reasons that Hamas decided to attack Israel is to become a power broker and take over from the old Palestinian leadership. Chairman Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority is approaching 90 and has not indicated that he plans to step down. So, admitting a Palestinian state when different factions in Palestine are fighting for control makes civil war a reality.
The trouble with recognizing Palestine as its own country is the uncertainty of its boundaries, as there are no defined borders, and there is also the fact that it would usurp the whole state of Israel. Macron’s plan, in effect, harms all involved. It’s a disaster for U.S. national interests as Hamas will be less likely to release any American hostages and ruin the Trump administration’s endeavor to end the war.
Perhaps the people with the most to lose are Palestinians who, thanks to the French, will continue to be trapped and under Hamas’s tyrannical regime with no end in sight. For those who seek self-determination, the Oslo Accords of 1993, often overlooked, made it clear that final negotiations are to be rendered effective at the negotiating table, not by a European country.
Unfortunately, many liberal activists in the media and academia have come to endorse Palestinian violence as a means to an end. If Israel has jets, missiles, and an Iron Dome, certainly Hamas is justified to use suicide bombings and other terrorist tactics to level the playing field, they proclaim.
However, a Palestinian state cautions that it would be a client state for countries such as Iran or even Turkey to provide weapons to wipe out Israel. This past June, Iran fired missiles and drones into Israel, but with distance and Israeli intelligence, they were able to avoid mass casualties. There’s no question that a Palestinian state would become a launch pad for Iran. Even worse would be Turkey’s President Erdoğan, who has called for a revival of the Ottoman Empire, and would see the country of Palestine, supported by France, as a way to jump-start a global caliphate.
It’s important to note that France is home to the largest Islamic population with around 6 million Muslims, which is only second to Christianity as the largest religious group. Macron’s government is accused of “Islamophobia” with its crackdown on religious expression. A report from the Interior Ministry highlighted acknowledging Palestinian statehood as a way to ease tension with Muslim citizens.
One interpretation from the Center for Security Policy translated to say, “France’s recognition of a Palestinian State alongside Israel within Secure and recognized borders could help alleviate these frustrations”. Macron’s go-along-to-get-along strategy is just pandering to Palestinian activists and anti-Semites in his own country, as Jewish synagogues and schools will still be the target of Palestinian terror.
The intrinsic nature of Europe, especially France, is to stick its nose in world affairs and set terms without blowback. The French colony of New Caledonia is already receiving support for independence from Azerbaijan and the smaller islands of Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Imagine if Israel or the U.S. decided to arm these territories to fight for freedom or recognize their independent status. Macron’s solo approach to Middle Eastern affairs opens the door to the decolonization of French territories.
Moreover, much of France’s posturing on the world stage has already ceased to exist. Macron’s sellout of Western democracy and Israel will only further his political demise and reward Islamic terror in Gaza. Instead of choosing to fight for freedom, France decided to yield to terrorism. Historically speaking, it’s not surprising that a French president would choose to surrender a war it’s not fighting in.
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