As he explained in a televised interview, the situation on the ground is not stabilized enough to take this step, to which he has assured several times not to have taboos, in a context in which other European countries have recognized Palestine, among them Spain and Norway.

According to the president, the Palestinian National Authority must make reforms, in reference to the control that Hamas maintains over the Gaza Strip, a territory subjected to eight months of indiscriminate aggression by Israel.

It is not out of indignation (for the destruction of Gaza) that a State is recognized, a process is needed, he said.

On the other hand, he considered that recognizing Palestine does not press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a cease-fire.

On his speech, Macron announced the future delivery of Mirage-2000-5 fighters to Ukraine, support for the training of Ukrainian soldiers in its conflict with Russia and authorization for Kiev to use Western weapons to strike certain targets on its neighbor’s territory.

He also expressed support for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, a step that does not have much backup in France.

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