France is pushing for other European powers, including the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands, to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN conference next month.
A French diplomat told Politico on condition of anonymity that President Emmanuel Macron was hoping the announcement at the conference could help restart peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.
“The two-state solution is more necessary than ever but it has been more undermined than ever due to the war, the displacement [of Palestinians] and the violence of extremist settlers,” said the diplomat.
He said that Macron had hoped the recognition of Palestine at the conference, which will be co-hosted by Saudi Arabia, could be complemented by a number of Arab states recognising Israel.
However, another European diplomat told Politico that at this stage the Arab states wanted “sanctions not statehood”.
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Some 147 of 193 UN member states currently recognise the State of Palestine. European states Spain, Ireland and Norway agreed to recognition last year.
Recognition of Palestine has been condemned by Israel as rewarding the actions of Palestinian armed groups.
Israel sealed off Gaza’s borders on 2 March, blocking the entry of all international aid and goods, including basic food items, hygiene supplies and fuel.
UK ‘in discussion’ with France and Saudi Arabia over Palestinian statehood
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On 1 April, all 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme across Gaza shut down due to the lack of wheat flour and fuel.
A controversial US-Israeli aid distribution scheme descended into chaos on Tuesday, as gunfire rang out while hungry and exhausted residents of Gaza rushed to get food after being forced to stand outside an aid facility.
According to journalists and witnesses, the breakdown of order resulted from delays in security checks on the recipients, Middle East Eye reported in an earlier article.
The Israeli military denied firing on the crowds, but the Associated Press reported tank and gunfire at the distribution site, possibly due to warning shots fired by US mercenaries securing the facility.
Initially, there were no official reports of deaths or injuries. However, according to Arabic media, three were killed and 46 were wounded when the Israeli army fired into the crowds of people rushing to retrieve food packages.
