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France Considering Recognizing Palestinian State

JTA

French President Nicholas Sarkozy with PA President Mahmoud Abbas

France is actively considering recognizing a Palestinian state, along with other European neighbors.

“The recognition of a Palestinian state is an option that we are currently thinking about, with our European partners,” Gérard Araud, France’s ambassador to the United Nations told journalists April 22.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy met April 21 with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss “initiatives” to push forward peace negotiations with Israel.

Foreign minister Alain Juppé announced in March that French recognition of a Palestinian state was a “hypothesis we must keep in mind.”

Speaking to France 24 television on April 21, Abbas said “all the signs of these (European) organizations and states show that they are waiting for the right moment to recognize” a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, the German newspaper Der Spiegel reported over the weekend that German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to encourage Abbas not to seek unilateral recognition, when she meets with him in Berlin on May 5.

Merkel has come out recently against a United Nations resolution recognizing a Palestinian state.

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9 Comments

  • flo

    fascinating. This is all evolving to bias hamoshiach, the Geula. May it come NOW, ACHSHAV

  • Thinking

    If there becomes a Palestinian state then Israel can charge them for water and electric.
    If the shoot rockets then Israel can attack.

  • Milhouse

    How do you figure this for a *good* thing, Flo? Emunoh is all very well, but bad news is bad news.

  • Lubavitcher Aroni

    At this point, whatever will be will be. The Rebbe warned time and time again against giving the Arabs any say in any part of EY. He saved Sharon from a plane crash, told him not to go into politics – he did anyway and showed how thankful he was to the Rebbe for saving his fat tuches by giving away Gaza.

    The medine was a mistake, but it could have been turned into something positive had its leaders listened to the Nasi haDor. Instead, they will end up proving Reb Yoilish from Satmar ZYA right when it dissolves after the economic bubble bursts due to political instability.

    Lekatchila, Reb Yoilish was right, but the medine happened anyway. As He does not forsake His people even when they are fools (shoimer petoim Hashem)Hashem sent the Rebbe (and sent politicians to the Rebbe) to save the medine from itself as He sent Yonah to Nineveh. I also believe that R’ Meir Kahane HYD could have saved the medine begvura as the Rebbe tried to bechessed. The difference is that the Rebbe did his shlichus and people did not listen, whereas Yonah tried not to do his shlichus and in the end people did listen.

  • flo

    milhouse, I did not say it was good. I said it was fascinating to see how things are evolving.
    I agree with #7 btw