CAIRO — French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France plans to recognize Palestine as a state in June this year.

Macron made the comments during an interview with a French television station while on a two-day trip to Egypt.

"Our goal is, sometime in June, to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia where we could finalize the movement of reciprocal recognition by several," he said.

"I will do it...because I think that at some point it will be fair and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognize Israel in turn, which many of them do not," he continued.

Macron added that this would allow France to "be clear in our fight against those who deny Israel's right to exist", specifically citing Iran, while also reaffirming a commitment "to collective security in the region."

France is set to chair a two-day UN conference with Saudi Arabia in New York in June aimed at advocating a two-state solution following 18 months of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

But formal recognition by Paris of a Palestinian state would represent a significant shift in policy and could risk straining relations with Israel.

Nearly 150 countries recognize current Palestine as a state, with Ireland, Norway, and Spain all declaring their recognition in May 2024.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, continues to reject the two-state solution, arguing that granting statehood would be a "huge reward" following the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel. — Euronews