French candidate Macron opposes unilateral recognition of Palestinian state

While expressing opposition to unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood, Macron nevertheless stressed strong support for a two-state solution. 

French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron of the social-liberal En Marche party, which appears to be firmly ahead in the polls, stressed his opposition to unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state in French television over the weekend.

“Unilateral recognition of Palestine, right now, will undermine stability,” Macron said, adding that it would “have implications in the loss of the entire [French] relationship with the state of Israel.”

Nevertheless, Macron unequivocally reiterated his support for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“I defended the principle of a two-state solution and France’s commitment to that,” he said, looking back at remarks he had made during his visit to Israel in September of 2015.  “Those are my consistent positions.”

In Israel over a year and a half ago, Macron conveyed France’s support for the labeling of products from Judea and Samaria separately from those produced within Israel’s pre-1967 boundaries.

“The French and European diplomatic position is clear and has not changed and will not change,” he said at the time, also stressing that “we are against any practice such as that of the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] movement.”

Several days later, the European Union Parliament passed a resolution on the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process that contained a clause calling for “completing the work on EU-wide guidelines on the labeling of Israeli settlement produce.”

Macron’s contender, Marine Le Pen of the National Front, was one of 70 Members of the European Parliament to vote against the measure. The resolution however, passed with an overwhelming margin of 525 in favor and 31 abstentions.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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