France is determined to recognise the Palestinian state, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Friday.
“On the occasion of the conference to be held in New York in a few days, we are determined to engage a number of countries, as well as all interested parties, in particular the Palestinian National Authority and the Arab countries of the region, to commit themselves to removing all obstacles to the creation and existence of a Palestinian state,” the French Foreign Minister said.
He also added that the disarmament of Hamas is an “absolute necessity,” otherwise there will be “no possible future for peace and stability in Gaza and Palestine.”
In April, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France intends to recognise the Palestinian state this June. He expressed the view that such recognition is not just a moral duty but a political necessity.
An international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the principle of “two states for two peoples” will be held at the UN headquarters in New York on June 17-20.
The conference is organised with the participation of France and Saudi Arabia and aims to find a format for recognising the Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.
