Israel’s foreign minister said Thursday that Emmanuel Macron will not be welcomed for a visit while France pursues plans to recognize a Palestinian state.
Gideon Saar warned French senior diplomat Jean-Noel Barrot
over the phone that "there is no room" for a presidential visit
"as long as France persists in its initiative and efforts that harm
Israel's interests," according to a statement from Israel's foreign
ministry.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned down Macron's
proposal for a quick visit ahead of the UN General Assembly later this month,
where the president intends to formally recognize a Palestinian state,
according to a story published on Wednesday by Israel's national broadcaster
Kan.
Foreign Minister Saar urged Barrot that Paris should
"reconsider its initiative," claiming that it would jeopardize
regional stability and "harm Israel's national and security
interests."
Since Macron declared during the UN meeting that France will
legally recognize a Palestinian state, tensions between France and Israel have
increased. Similar proposals have been revealed by a number of Western
administrations.
When Netanyahu accused Macron of encouraging
"antisemitism" last month, the dispute intensified. The Elysee
retaliated, calling the accusation "abject" and
"erroneous."
France is about to join a growing number of countries that
have recognized Palestinian statehood since the Gaza conflict began almost two
years ago.
Macron stated that ending the war in Gaza was the
"urgent priority today" when he made his
statement in July.
“We must finally build the State of Palestine”
and ensure that it would “contribute to the security of all
in the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.
According to an AFP count, France is one of at least 145 of
the 193 UN members that currently recognize or intend to recognize a
Palestinian state.
How will Macron’s announced recognition of Palestine shape
Israel’s security response?
Israel is concerned that France will embolden Palestinian violent non-state actors (VNSA), including Hamas, which will complicate Israel's national security priorities such as anti-terrorism, and territorial control over disputed areas.
The fact that it already made Israel forsake diplomatic
relations with Macron in favor of not doing "a diplomatic visit with
France", and is indicative of the bad relationship that exists between the
two countries, over recognition of Palestine is global.
It is not only a matter of bad diplomatic relations, it is a
matter of cooperation in Israel's security policies and diplomatic interaction.
Israel rightly fears this unilateral recognition undermines direct diplomatic
negotiations and peace processes, will negatively affect Israel's leverage and
may raise the crisis in the area although violent conflict may be a more
accurate term.