France, Britain, and Canada have outlined conditions for the Palestine Liberation Organization and the terrorist organization Hamas in exchange for recognizing a process leading to a Palestinian state, sources told the Saudi channel Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday. A Western official familiar with the talks stated, "This path is mandatory, and without it, there will be no recognition of a Palestinian state at this time." The conditions prioritize political reforms in the Palestinian Authority and the complete disarmament of Gaza.
According to Western and regional sources, the conditions are designed to prepare for a conference planned by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 17. The conference is expected to announce a pathway toward recognizing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, contingent on specific demands for the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority has been informed by officials from these countries that the process requires political, economic, and administrative reforms, including holding free and fair elections, resuming the Palestinian parliament's activities, and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power.
Hamas faces a demand for the total disarmament of Gaza and the transfer of its governance to an independent Palestinian entity, eventually to an elected Palestinian government. Additionally, Hamas must transform into a solely political party if it wishes to participate in elections.
The Western official clarified that these are not merely "conditions" but popular demands from Palestinian, regional, and international stakeholders. "It is not possible to recognize a Palestinian state without a political system that meets the people's demands for reform, elections, and accountability. It is not possible to stop the war in Gaza without disarmament," the official said. The Israeli side has informed all mediators and parties involved that it will not permit weapons in Gaza or the West Bank and will act against any terrorist cell, the official added.
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Palestinian Authority and Hamas officials described the process as "impossible." Palestinian Authority figures warned that the path's implications would be severe, while Hamas officials stated, "The issue of weapons will always be tied to ending the occupation." A senior Hamas official added, "Even if we agree to disarm, Israel will not stop using it as a justification for continuing the siege and attacks. Every day they will say – there's a missile in a tunnel in this area, or shells in that area. They use this issue only to continue strikes and assassinations."
Macron signaled on Thursday that France may soon adopt a firmer diplomatic approach toward Israel, once again baselessly accusing Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reiterating a warning issued by France, Canada and the UK of possible sanctions.
Macron said discussions were "ongoing", and that the countries "will decide in the next couple of days if we need to harden our tone and take concrete steps regarding Israel." France is expected to host a conference on Gaza this month, without Israel's participation, which is expected to culminate with a push for Palestinian statehood.
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee mocked Macron for this effort and said the president could "carve out a Palestinian state from the French Riviera."
Israel's Foreign Ministry has rejected the claims of hunger and food shortages in Gaza, with a new scheme successfully launched several days ago to distribute goods through a US company and without going through Hamas. Israel calls the accusations "a blatant lie."
Several weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blistering condemnation of Macron, accusing him of siding with Hamas following his sharp criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. reported the extraordinary diplomatic clash that has further strained relations between the two nations.
