Paris - Saba:
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that his country is "determined to recognize the State of Palestine".
In his comments to the French channel LCI, Barrot noted, in his assessment of developments in the Middle East, that "500 Palestinians were killed and approximately 4,000 others were injured during food distribution in the Gaza Strip last May."
He described the loss of Palestinian lives in Gaza during food distribution as "shameful and an affront to human dignity," stressing that "France and Europe are ready to contribute to ensuring food distribution (in Gaza)."
Apart from the oversight of the United Nations and international organizations, the Israeli occupation, with American assistance, has been implementing a limited aid distribution plan since May 27. The Israeli army has opened fire on Palestinians queuing to receive aid, forcing them to choose between starvation and being shot.
According to Palestinian medical sources, the death toll from the protests since May 27 has reached approximately 549, with more than 4,066 wounded.
Barrow emphasized that there is no justification for the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza, saying, "We are determined to recognize the State of Palestine; this will happen within a joint framework that encourages all parties to create the conditions that enable the establishment of this state."
On May 22, 2024, Norway, Ireland, and Spain officially recognized the State of Palestine, effective May 28.
Prior to this development, eight European Union member states had recognized the State of Palestine: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, and Sweden.
A total of 149 countries out of 193 UN member states recognize Palestine.
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