France's Recognition of the State of Palestine: "I've been waiting for this announcement for years," says Elie Barnavi.

"The main European states must join France. I'm thinking of Great Britain, Germany, and Italy," the historian and former Israeli ambassador pleaded Thursday on franceinfo. Emmanuel Macron announced earlier in the evening that France would recognize the State of Palestine in September.

"I've been waiting for this announcement for years, working on it to the best of my modest means," Elie Barnavi, historian and former Israeli ambassador, rejoiced on franceinfo on Thursday, July 24, following Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would recognize the State of Palestine next September.

"I think it's a very good thing. I hope it will snowball and France will not be alone," Elie Barnavi said. France is "already not alone, since there are other European states that have recognized the Palestinian state ." According to him, "the main European states must join France. I'm thinking of Great Britain, Germany, Italy. I think this is the beginning of an interesting, promising process that must be accompanied by very strong political measures."

Elie Barnavi knows that "it is very complicated to get Europeans to speak with one voice, but it is France" that has taken this diplomatic initiative, "it is a voice that counts in Europe and on the world stage and for me it is excellent news." That the reactions of the Israeli government are virulent is normal for Elie Barnavi, because "we are dealing with a far-right government, made up of ultranationalists and religious fundamentalists." "We could not expect anything else."

But according to the former Israeli ambassador, "now" it is necessary to "constrain" this government and "make it so that, in one way or another," it recognizes reality. For Elie Barnavi, "the Palestinian state is an absolute necessity. Not only for the Palestinians, but for us, for Israel, to be able to get out of this situation we are in. It is absolutely essential that a Palestinian state finally sees the light of day."