Macron pressures UK to recognize Palestine amid timing disagreement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
5 Jul 2025 08:58

The French president is reportedly pressuring the UK premier to speed up the recognition of Palestine, highlighting a growing rift between Paris and London on the matter.

Listen

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and President of France Emmanuel Macron attend a bilateral meeting at the G7 summit, in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, Monday, June 16, 2025 (Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to accelerate the process of recognizing Palestine as an independent state, according to sources cited by The Telegraph.

The topic is expected to be addressed during Macron’s upcoming three-day visit to the United Kingdom, as Gaza and the broader issue of Palestinian statehood continue to shape international diplomatic discussions.

UK-France divided on pace, method

While both Paris and London support the "two-state solution", they appear divided on the pace and method of recognizing Palestine.

Citing UK government sources, The Telegraph reported that Macron is in favor of making a recognition announcement soon, whereas London remains cautious.

“The French are trying to get us back on board with recognition. We’re reticent,” a Whitehall source told The Telegraph.

Political pressure mounts

The push from Macron comes amid growing internal political pressure on Starmer. In May, more than a dozen senior Conservative Members of Parliament and peers wrote to Starmer, calling on him to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

This is not the first time the topic has emerged in diplomatic circles. In April, The Guardian reported, citing UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, that discussions on recognizing Palestine were ongoing between London, Paris, and Riyadh.

The matter remains a contentious issue in UK foreign policy, with growing calls for a more assertive stance in support of Palestinian statehood amid ongoing developments in Gaza.

Recognize Palestine to end 'deadly status quo', UK envoy urges

In mid-June, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, urged the Labour government to formally recognize the State of Palestine.

In an op-ed published by The Guardian, Zomlot warned that continuing to delay recognition only entrenches the “deadly status quo” and risks aligning the UK with what he described as an "apartheid regime".

“Recognition is neither a reward for one party nor a punishment for another,” Zomlot wrote. “It is a long-overdue affirmation of the Palestinian people’s unconditional right to exist and live freely in our homeland.”

He emphasized that the recognition of Palestine should not be made conditional and called on the UK to fulfill its longstanding manifesto commitment, especially with Labour now in power, according to The Guardian.