The French government has countered U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s claims regarding the effect of France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks. An official X account associated with the French Foreign Ministry refuted Rubio’s assertions, directly stating that recognizing the State of Palestine did not lead to the collapse of hostage negotiations. The ministry’s post on X also presented a timeline. It juxtaposed a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the stalled peace talks with a post from French President Emmanuel Macron concerning Palestinian statehood recognition. Macron emphasized that Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from the governance of the Gaza Strip. Rubio had previously criticized Macron’s initiative, calling it ‘reckless’ and accusing it of supporting Hamas’s agenda. He claimed that Hamas walked away from negotiations immediately after the French announcement. France had announced its intent to officially recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly. Several other nations, including Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, are also expected to take similar steps. Belgium has called for recognition and ‘firm sanctions’ against Israel. Moreover, Macron stated that France and Saudi Arabia would co-chair a conference on the Two-State Solution in New York on September 22. He also urged the United States to reverse its decision to deny visas to Palestinian officials, underlining the need for their presence at the conference.
