France is calling on the European Union to ramp up pressure on Israel to engage in a two-state solution negotiation with the Palestinians, according to a report published by The Associated Press on Monday. Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, spoke at a virtual UN conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, and said, “The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has to express its expectations and show the means that we can incentivise the Israeli government to hear this appeal.”
Representatives from 125 countries, including 50 ministers attended the key meeting, the report said.
Key Demands from France
Barrot demanded Israel take concrete steps:
- To lift a €2 billion financial blockade on the Palestinian Authority
- To halt West Bank settlement expansion, and
- To end the “militarised” food distribution system run by the US–backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the besieged territory.
These measures, Barrot insisted, are pertinent to reverse “the erasure of the two‑state solution,” which he sees as essential to peace and regional stability.
La perspective de deux États, reconnus et respectés dans leurs droits, est aujourd’hui en danger de mort. pic.twitter.com/QDrTiZsh0D
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) July 28, 2025
US and Israel Reject Conference
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the two-state framework on ideological and security grounds. The US has also seemingly sidestepped the conference, with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce calling it “unproductive and ill‑timed,” as reported by the news agency.
“The United States will not participate in this insult but will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the fighting and deliver a permanent peace,” Bruce said, according to AP.
France Recognises Palestine State
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in New York that the European country would formally recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, making France the only G7 country to recognise Palestinian statehood.
At the conference, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa urged world leaders to follow France’s lead. “The path to peace begins by recognising the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction,” Mustafa reportedly said.
Saudi Position & the US Role
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed normalisation with Israel can only happen through establishing Palestine as a state. He added support for US involvement, reportedly saying, “I am firmly in the belief that Trump’s engagement can be a catalyst for an end to the immediate crisis in Gaza and potentially a resolution of the Palestinian‑Israeli conflict in the long term.”
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