France Votes to Recognize a Palestinian State

At the Assemblée Nationale earlier today, French legislators voted 339-151 to recognize Palestine as a state. The leftist parties of France, which consists of the Communist (PCF) and Green Parties (les Verts), and nearly the entire Socialist Party (PS) supported the motion. Francois Hollande, the Socialist President who is at the onset of his reelection campaign, has also stressed the need to recognize a Palestinian state. The proposition, handed to the President of the National Assembly on Friday November 20, calls for the recognition of the state of Palestine in hopes that peace talks and negotiations will resume. France possesses both the largest Jewish and Muslim population of any European country, and such a vote will probably lead to protests and rallies by both sects of the population.

Laurent Fabius, Ministre of Foreign Affairs and International Development, stated last week at the Assemblée Nationale that the need for both an Israeli and Palestinian state is imperative. This recognition is non-binding, and similar to those passed in the parliaments of Ireland, England, and Spain, and will give France a two-year time frame to relaunch and complete negotiations for a Palestinian and Israeli state. Mr. Fabius promised that France would have an integral role in these two-state discussions but stated that if, at the end of this diplomatic push, there is no successful outcome then France would adopt a binding recognition of a Palestinian state.

The majority of right wing and conservatives of the French Assembly is opposed to the motion. On Friday afternoon, Gilbert Collard, member of the far right Marine Blue Gathering (RBM), a French coalition that also includes the Marine Le Pen’s Front Nationale (FN), stood in a five-minute speech dictating that although a Palestinian state is needed, but that it cannot be attained under these conditions. He stated that the sponsors of the bill are not only seeking to endanger the security of the Israeli state, but to also “eradicate Israel.” He also stated that recognition of this resolution signifies that France would be embracing terrorism, Hamas, and the hate that has resulted in the deaths of those in Jerusalem and across Israel. Others on the right claim this is a political move by the left who are seeking to gain support of the French Muslim community ahead of elections. Israel has already responded to the vote, claiming that such support for Palestine will eventually endanger the peace process going forward.

What is the significance of this vote? France is one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and such threats of recognizing Palestine at the end of two years — with or without a deal – is concerning. Although Mr. Fabius has established a timetable, his understanding of what is an acceptable definition of what will eventually become a Palestinian state is unknown. This vote may encourage other Western European countries who have grown tired of the stalled peace talks to recognize Palestine, as well as encourage the European Union to establish a binding resolution at the international level.