France is considering a move to recognise a Palestinian state “in time”, the French ambassador to Ireland has said.
Céline Place anticipated that France will be the driving force behind diplomatic moves to bring about a two-state solution to the crisis.
In London this week, French president Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to “initiate the political dynamic” of recognising Palestinian statehood. “A two-state solution and the recognition of the state of Palestine are the only way to build peace,” he said.
Last month a peace conference that was due to be held in New York was postponed after Israel’s attack on Iran. Ms Place said France is now looking at rescheduling the conference, perhaps during the UN General Assembly in September.
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Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, recognised a Palestinian state in May last year.
Ms Place said French recognition for a Palestinian state was “a point that Ireland made very clear” when then taoiseach, now Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris, met Mr Macron in Paris last August.
“We are committed to organising this international conference on the two-states solution working towards the recognition of the Palestinian state,” she said.
“There have been several comments by our president on this very active commitment to getting as many countries as possible to recognise a Palestinian state as it will really be leverage to relaunch a political process towards it.
“I would anticipate that we will be recognise a Palestinian state in time.”
She declined to comment on the Occupied Territories Bill currently being proposed by the Government, saying it was an internal matter for Ireland.
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Ms Place said there will be a new five-year bilateral working plan between Ireland and France between 2025 and 2030 focusing on Ireland’s presidency of the EU, beginning in July next year.
France will also chair the G7 from January next year. “I imagine we will use both to push forward together priorities.”
As part of the new plan the French embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will sponsor efforts for Irish diplomats and civil servants and Irish army officers to speak French.
“It is an asset to speak French in Brussels, but also the francophone countries in Africa. The French language is a big priority for us.”
