French Socialists MPs are preparing a resolution that would call on the French government to recognize a state of Palestine, weeks after a similar vot in the Britih parliament and in the wake of Sweden’s recent decision to make such a move.
The resolution, proposed by the Socialist chairwoman of the parliament lower house’s foreign affairs committee, Elisabeth Guigou, invites "the French government to use the recognition of the Palestinian state as an instrument in working towards a final resolution to the conflict.’’
A meeting on the lawmakers’ proposal took place earlier this week with Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Socialist senators who are also planning a similar initiative.
Fabius himself acknowledged last month that Paris would eventually have to recognise Palestine as a state, but wanted to choose the best moment to do so for the move to have a real impact.
The French government will not change its stance, even if the Socialist group's resolution is adopted by the French Parliament.
The government, led by Manuel Valls, is proceeding with caution on the matter. "The French government’s position has consistently been to recognise the Palestinian state at the UN," Stéphane le Foll, spokesperson for the French government, announced at a press conference.
"France has chosen to work towards the recognition of the state of Palestine on an international level".
The French lower house vote could take place within weeks, and would be highly symbolic after a similar move by British MPs last month.
The British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on October 13 in favour of a non-binding motion to “recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution”.