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France to assist PA in drafting constitution for Palestinian state

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In July 2024, the Knesset voted overwhelmingly 67-8 to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

France announced Tuesday it would join forces with the Palestinian Authority to draft a constitution for a potential Palestinian State, Reuters reported.

The decision followed a meeting in Paris between President Emmanuel Macron and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The French leader said the panel would examine legal, constitutional, and institutional questions that he argued must be addressed before any political transition can take place.

Macron framed the move as an opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to “live side by side in peace and security.”

He referred to Abbas as a close partner and said France intends to stay involved in efforts to design what he described as “the day after.”

Several Western governments, including France, formally recognized a Palestinian state earlier this year, a shift driven in part by criticism of Israel’s conduct during the Gaza war and by renewed calls to advance a two-state formula.

Israel, despite accepting a US-mediated ceasefire with Hamas, has continued to reject recognition of Palestinian statehood, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referring to such recognition after the Oct. 7 massacre as a “reward for terror.”

In July 2024, the Knesset voted overwhelmingly 67-8 to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state.

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Abbas told Macron that the PA remains committed to creating a democratic, demilitarized state that includes Gaza, and said he is prepared to cooperate with President Donald Trump and additional international actors to move any peace initiatives forward.

Macron stressed that the committee’s mandate would be strictly technical but essential to future diplomacy.

Both leaders said the process could help provide a political track once fighting in Gaza is fully resolved, though neither offered a timetable for when that might occur.

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