France and 14 other Western nations called on countries worldwide to move to recognise a Palestinian state, France’s top diplomat said Wednesday.
“In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognise the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us”, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X.
The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain.
President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States.
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various “substantive steps”, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
In the statement, the 15 nations affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution”.
Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed “the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries” to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
