Top Diplomat Reaffirms France’s Determination to Recognize State of Palestine

By Staff, Agencies

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has reaffirmed his country’s “determination to recognize the State of Palestine,” underscoring the urgent need for international action in light of the worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Speaking in an interview with LCI news channel on Sunday, Barrot denounced the killing of hundreds of Palestinian aid seekers by Israeli forces in Gaza, calling it “a disgrace and an affront to human dignity.”

The top French diplomat noted that at least 500 Palestinians were killed and around 4,000 others injured in May alone while trying to access food aid in the besieged Strip.

He affirmed that both France and the European Union are ready to support safe and fair food distribution efforts in Gaza.

Barrot then sharply criticized the entity’s current approach, stating that, outside the oversight of the United Nations and international organizations, "Israeli" forces — supported by the United States — have carried out a limited aid distribution plan since May 27, during which the troops have opened fire on Palestinians waiting for food.

He noted that this tactic effectively forces civilians to choose between “starvation or being shot.”

“There is no justification for the continued 'Israeli' attacks on Gaza,” Barrot said. “We are committed to recognizing the State of Palestine, and this will happen as part of a joint initiative that encourages all parties to create the necessary conditions for the establishment of that state.”