France Moves to Vote on 'Palestine' Recognition


Arutz Sheva Staff,

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France (illustration)
Eiffel Tower in Paris, France (illustration)
Flash 90

After French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius last month said his state would not hold a vote to recognize the Palestinian Authority (PA) as the "state of Palestine," French Socialist lawmakers are preparing to submit a motion to parliament to do just that.

French sources said the call on the government to make the unilateral non-binding recognition follows in the footsteps of a similar vote in the UK last month to recognize "Palestine," and comes after Sweden last Thursday officially recognized the PA as "Palestine," leading Israel to withdraw its ambassador.

"The (lower house National) Assembly asks the French government to use recognition of the state of Palestine as an instrument to obtain a final settlement of the conflict," reads the provisional motion seen by AFP.

A meeting on the lawmakers' proposal is due Wednesday with Fabius and Socialist senators who are also planning a similar initiative.

As noted Fabius opposed giving recognition last month, saying such a step must be "helpful to peace" and should only be done "when the time is right."

The lower house vote could take place within weeks, and is unlikely to change government policy for the near future.

In the British vote on October 13, MPs voted to "recognize the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution."

The recent wave of recognition moves comes as diplomats in the European Union (EU) last month warned they are weighing punitive measures against Israel, saying they are "frustrated" that they are unable to foist their political designs on the Jewish state.

AFP contributed to this report.