21.05.2025 – (12:01 PM) Htate See

France has decided to recognize Palestine as a state, French Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Barrow told France Inter radio on May 20.

Barrow also reiterated France’s support for a Dutch-led initiative to review the cooperation agreement between European countries and Israel.

“We cannot pass on the legacy of violence and hatred to the children of Gaza. All of this must stop. That is why we have decided to recognize Palestine as a state. We are working for it because we want a political solution that will benefit the Palestinians and guarantee Israel’s security,” Barrow said.

The French foreign minister’s comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a joint statement that angered Israel.

The three countries said in a statement that they would not stand by and threatened retaliation if Israel continued to block the supply route to Gaza.

Israel has imposed a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip for more than two months, but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has now allowed limited access. The Palestinian foreign minister has also called that insufficient.

A UN conference is scheduled for June to revive hopes of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conference will be held at UN headquarters in New York from June 17 to 20. The two countries that will host the conference are France and Saudi Arabia.

Nearly 150 countries recognize Palestine as a state. Palestine is not yet a member state of the United Nations, with observer status.

In May 2024, Ireland, Norway, and Spain announced their recognition of Palestine as a state. Other European countries, including France, have not yet done so.