In a telephone conversation with the President of the Palestinian Authority, the French President reaffirmed ‘France’s support for a reformed and strengthened Palestinian Authority’

Emmanuel Macron wishes to ‘place the prospect of recognition of the State of Palestine within a constructive dynamic’. During his meeting with Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday 29 May, the Head of State urged the President of the Palestinian Authority to undertake ‘reforms’ ‘with a view to recognising the State of Palestine’, according to a statement from the Élysée Palace.

‘The President of the Republic reiterated France’s support for a reformed and strengthened Palestinian Authority, capable of assuming its responsibilities throughout the Palestinian Territories, including the Gaza Strip, for the benefit of the Palestinians’, said the Presidency.

The Head of State also ‘underlined France’s determination to work with Algeria and its partners in the UN Security Council’ ‘to ensure that the Council takes a firm stance on Rafah and to continue efforts to support the French draft resolution’.

A ‘new tragedy’ at Rafah
The Israeli bombardment of a camp for displaced persons in Rafah represents ‘a new tragedy’, he declared, expressing ‘his sincere condolences to the Palestinian people for the unbearable human toll of the operation in Gaza’.

On Tuesday, Algeria circulated to the other members of the Security Council a draft resolution demanding that Israel, as the occupying power, ‘immediately cease its military offensive and any other action at Rafah’, according to the text consulted by AFP.

Paris, for its part, proposed another text at the end of March, aimed in particular at preparing for the post-war period in Gaza, but which is still under negotiation.

‘Faced with hatemongers and terrorist movements, it is all the more urgent to relaunch peace efforts and put an end to the systematic postponement of the implementation of the two-State solution and the creation of a Palestinian State’, states the Élysée.

On Tuesday, three European countries – Spain, Ireland and Norway – officially recognised the State of Palestine with the aim of advancing peace, an initiative that provoked the anger of Israel. Emmanuel Macron said he was ‘ready to recognise’ such a state, but ‘at an appropriate moment’ and not in response to ‘emotion’.