The Times of Israel reports: France’s presidential frontrunner Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he would not unilaterally recognize the state of Palestine if he is elected on Sunday.
In a French television interview, centrist Macron, who is some 24% ahead of far-right rival Marine Le Pen, said he backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that unilaterally recognizing Palestine would cause instability and would harm France’s relations with Israel.
He recalled that he when visited Israel — as economy minister in 2015 — “I defended the principle of a two-state solution, and France’s commitment to that.” He also recalled that he criticized the Israeli settlement enterprise. “Those are my consistent positions,” he said.
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