On Wednesday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced that France prepares to recognize Palestinian statement in a few months. If it occurred, Paris would become the 12th member of the European Union to accept the existence of the Palestinian State. Last year, Slovenia, Ireland and Spain did, which brought the total number of EU states that recognize Palestine to 11 from 27.
The French recognition would be a significant step in the right direction, especially if it affirms the borders of 1967 of Palestine and Jerusalem this as its capital, respects the provisions of international law and international consensus.
This could lead to other European countries to do the same, including Luxembourg and Portugal and could exert significant pressure on others, notably the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Belgium.
However, France runs the risk of converting its recognition of Palestine into another empty gesture to save the face in the middle of the growing opposition between Europeans to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and genocide in Gaza.
Bajo Macron, France has been far from fulfilling its legal and political obligations towards Palestine, turning a blind eye to the horrible crimes and violations of Israel. In this context, the French announcement can be a diplomatic movement that is very little, too late.
Until recently, the Western powers greatly conditioned the recognition of Palestine about the result of peace negotiations, which actually meant giving Israel a veto about the condition of Palestinian status. This is because Israel is not due to negotiations to produce a solution, either from two states along the borders of 1967 or a single state in which the Palestinians and Israelis have the same rights.
Israeli law opposes the recognition of Palestine and compliance with the Palestinian right to self -determination, but Western powers have continued to act if this was not the case.
Israel received this leverage of Palestine despite the fact that its own status was based on resolution 181 of the United Nations, which requested the creation of two states, and their membership in the UNS was conditioned to the implementation of resolutions 181 and 194, the latter belonging to the return right of Palestinian refugees. Successive Israeli governments have systematically violated both resolutions, as well as many others without facing any condemnation of their western allies.
Now that the Israeli government has finally made its plan ethnic cleaning and annexation of all Palestine, some western countries seem to be reconsidered their position and choose to recognize the hood of the Palestinian state.
While recognition is important, it cannot be the only step that a country like France must implement the Palestinian right to self -determination. France is an old colonial power in the Middle East, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, an EU prominent member, one of Israel’s most important business partners and an important donor for Palestine.
As such, he has the moral and legal obligation to do more than that. Recognition itself will not stop ethnic cleaning and ongoing annexation. These processes continue incessantly because countries like France do not act and hold Israel.
For example, France was one of the first European countries to grant de facto immunity to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a court order against him in November. Paris has opened its airspace on several occasions for Netanyahu to vuele on its way to the United States in violation of its obligations under the Rome Statute, the treaty established by the CPI.
Despite the growing calls to an embargo on weapons in Israel, France has continued to sell weapons to the duration of the Israeli army, the ongoing genocide. French citizens do not face repercussions for participating in the colonialism of settlers in the occupied West Bank or in the Israeli occupation forces, which but were repeatedly accused of horrible war crimes.
Similarly, France continues to tolerate fundraising for Israeli illegal settlements, while several French companies have contributed to the ongoing annexation process of the occupied Palestinian territory.
France has been awarded a special role in Jerusalem regarding the protection of the benefits of status quo of Christian denominations. However, he barely has tasks of any concrete measure to stop at attempts -Esraelís to impose illegal taxes on the churches and take care of the property of the Church.
If France is really interested in being a peace corridor in the Middle East, it must do more than just recognize Palestinian state. You must act according to your obligations under the UN letter and the Rome Statute. It must exert true pressure on Israel to end its occupation and colonization of the Palestinian land and take measures against the French citizens and companies involved in them. You must reverse your decision to grant immunity to Israeli officials sought by the CPI.
At the EU level, France must join Spain and Irandeland when demanding a review of the EU-Israel Association agreement in the light of the flagrant violation of Israel of article 2, which stipulates that relationships should be based on respect for human rights.
It is not necessary to say that the Israeli government opposes any recognition of Palestine and will use its available tools to avoid it. It could apply pressure to mobilize the domestic opposition, coordinate with nearby Israeli allies, such as the United States, and take measures against Jerusalem -based diplomats, among other tactics.
This will force France to face its real moment: Are you willing to defend its principles, or will it succumb to Israeli blackmail? Will the road lead in Europe in respect for international obligations, or will it allow your recognition of Palestine to remain an empty gesture?
At a time when the administration of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, supports ethnic cleaning as an official policy and the EU is at its lowest political point with respect to Palestine, France has the opportunity to make a difference. It can join other EU members, such as Spain and Ireland, who together with the Global South are pressing for an international order based on rules where Palestine is no longer the exception to the norm. It may live up to its own motto or “Liberté, Égalité, Fterernité” supporting the search for freedom, equality and fraternity of the Palestinian people.
The opinions expressed in this article are typical of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.
