Image by Getty Images

France is stepping away from earlier assertions that it would “automatically” recognize a Palestinian state if a Paris-hosted international conference fails to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

“There is never anything automatic,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Wednesday at a news conference in Cairo, according to Agence France Press. “France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step; there is no prerequisite.”

Ayrault’s predecessor, Laurent Fabius, angered Israel in January when, after proposing the conference, he said France would recognize a Palestinian state if the talks failed.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the time that by promising to recognize a Palestinian state, it was providing “an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise.”

Ayrault, who replaced Fabius in February, made his remarks during a two-day visit to Egypt to discuss France’s plans to host an international conference “by this summer” to revive the talks.

“What we want, and that is our commitment, is to resume the negotiation process,” he said.

The most recent round of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians came under the auspices of the United States. They ended in April 2014 without an agreement.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount