France called Macron's recognition of Palestine a lever of pressure on Netanyahu

French President Emmanuel Macron considers the recognition of Palestine as a diplomatic lever of pressure that could influence the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This was reported on September 19 by TV5Monde with reference to the France-Presse (AFP) agency.

"He sees this recognition as a diplomatic lever to put pressure on Netanyahu," a source close to the French leader told the media.

According to the source, Macron made the decision to recognize Palestine in April, returning by plane after a visit to the border of Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

The French president himself confirmed on September 20 that France intends to recognize Palestine on September 22 at the UN General Assembly in the United States. He noted that such a decision fits into a broader peace plan for the region. "Газета.Ru ".

"I spoke with the Chairman of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and I confirmed to Chairman Abbas my intention to recognize the state of Palestine on Monday in New York," he wrote on his page on the social network X (former. Twitter).

Promised freedom: Macron decided to recognize Palestine

Other European leaders have also considered the initiative.

On September 19, Politico newspaper, citing sources familiar with the Israeli government's position, reported that Israel was preparing a series of retaliatory measures against France in connection with Paris' intention to recognize the statehood of Palestine. According to the publication, possible Israeli actions may include accelerating the annexation of parts of the West Bank, the closure of the French consulate in Jerusalem, and measures against French-owned facilities and territories in Israel.

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