Palestine is optimistic about an increase in the number of countries that will recognize its state, especially after French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent statement that Paris will officially recognize it in September, during a UN General Assembly meeting. Salah Abdel Shafi, the Palestinian ambassador to Austria, told Sputnik that there are signs that more nations, including Belgium and other European countries, will follow suit.
Palestinian expectations are based on a conference scheduled for July 28 in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at promoting the two-state solution. Shafi emphasized the importance of Macron’s gesture as a significant step, strengthening the confidence that international recognition of Palestine will gain momentum.
However, France’s decision drew strong opposition from the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Macron’s plan “reckless” and harmful to peace, claiming it only serves Hamas propaganda and is a “slap in the face to the victims of October 7.” Currently, 147 countries recognize the State of Palestine, but the US is not among them and, in 2024, vetoed Palestine’s full admission to the United Nations.
