Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state, calling it a “reckless decision” that undermines peace efforts and supports Hamas propaganda.
“The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7,” Rubio said on Friday in a post on X.
Macron had earlier announced that France would formally recognize the State of Palestine, saying the move aligns with France’s longstanding support for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
“Consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine. I will make this solemn announcement before the United Nations General Assembly this coming September. The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population,” Macron posted on social media.
Israel swiftly condemned the move, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating it “rewards terror” and could create “another Iranian proxy”.
“We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” Netanyahu said on X.
He added that under current conditions, a Palestinian state would serve as a launch pad for attacks on Israel rather than coexist peacefully. “The Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” he claimed.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also denounced the decision, calling it “ridiculous and not serious”.
“The French President's pretension to create by mere words an illusionary arrangement in our land is ridiculous and not serious. His statement this evening shows that all the conditions that he himself set a few weeks ago - have evaporated. All that remains is the illusionary state he presumes to establish,” Sa’ar said.
Echoing the criticism, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described Macron’s decision as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism”.
“Macron's announcement of his intention to recognize a Palestinian state is a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism, granting a reward and encouragement to the murderers and rapists of Hamas, who carried out the most horrific massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Instead of standing with Israel in this time of trial, the French president is acting to weaken it,” Katz said.
He added that Israel would not allow the creation of a Palestinian entity that could endanger its security or existence. “We are all united to prevent this grave danger,” he concluded.