Macron: France set to recognize Palestinian state; Sa'ar: Recognition a boost for Hamas

French President Emanuel Macron announced today (Wednesday) that France is set to recognize a Palestinian state within a matter of months, according to a report by France24.

Macron said that the recognition might come in June during a planned multinational conference at the UN. He told French television that "we must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron, who this week visited Egypt, told France 5 television. 

"Our aim is to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia in June, where we could finalise this movement of mutual recognition (of a Palestinian state) by several parties," he added.

"I will do it (...) because I believe that at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic – which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do."

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar retorted that "A "unilateral recognition" of a fictional Palestinian state, by any country, in the reality that we all know, will be a prize for terror and a boost for Hamas. These kind of actions will not bring peace, security and stability in our region closer - but the opposite: they only push them further away."

France, which has long supported a two-state solution, has become increasingly hostile towards Israel the longer the war has gone on, announcing support for a total arms embargo on the Jewish state and even banning Israeli companies from arms expos hosted in Paris.

While there has been some talk of a thaw in relations between the two countries, Macron's announcement of unilateral recognition without a mutual peace treaty, which Israel steadfastly opposes, is unlikely to improve matters.