Israel slams France over plan to recognize Palestinian state

TEL AVIV

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has denounced French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that Paris could recognize a Palestinian state by June, saying it would be a "prize" for terrorism.

"A unilateral recognition of a fictional Palestinian state, by any country, in the reality that we all know, will be a prize for terror and a boost for Hamas," Saar said on X late on April 9.

"These kind of actions will not bring peace, security and stability in our region closer, but the opposite: They only push them further away.

Nearly 150 countries recognize a Palestinian state. In May 2024, Ireland, Norway and Spain announced recognition, followed by Slovenia in June, moves partly fueled by condemnation of Israel's bombing of Gaza.

But France would be the most significant European power to recognize a Palestinian state. Such a move would also make France the first permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state.

On April 9, Macron said France plans to recognize a Palestinian state within months and could make the move at a U.N. conference in New York in June.

"We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron, who this week visited Egypt, told France 5 television.

"Our aim is to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia in June, where we could finalize this movement of mutual recognition by several parties," he added.

1,000 Israeli reservists demand end to war

Meanwhile, in a rare move, a group of 1,000 current and former Israeli Air Force reservists called on April 10 for the return of all captives held in the Gaza Strip, "even if it means ending the war."

"The continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, IDF [army] soldiers and innocent civilians," reads a letter published by the reservists in Israeli media.

The letter called for the "immediate return" of Israeli captives from Gaza, saying that the current war is going on for "political and personal interests."

“Only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers," the reservists said, calling on Israelis "to mobilize for action."

The letter's signatures included former army chief Dan Halutz.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for their dismissal from the air force.