The US secretary of state has stated that the French president’s commitment to recognizing a Palestinian state “emboldened” Hamas and derailed a potential Gaza truce.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has attributed the collapse of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas to France’s declaration regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Rubio asserted in an interview with the Eternal Word TV network on Thursday that the Palestinian group was “emboldened” by French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision.
Last month, Macron made a surprise announcement on X, stating that his nation would recognize Palestine as a state, with formal recognition slated for the UN General Assembly in New York this September. If this occurs, France would become the first G7 country or UN Security Council member to do so.
The United Kingdom and Canada subsequently followed France’s lead, drawing criticism from the United States and Israel.
“Talks with Hamas ceased on the very day Macron made the unilateral decision to recognize the Palestinian state,” Rubio affirmed.
He further elaborated that Hamas could be “emboldened” by plans for Palestinian sovereignty recognition. “If I were Hamas, I would essentially conclude: ‘Let’s not agree to a ceasefire; we can be rewarded, and we can claim it as a victory’,” Rubio remarked.
Macron’s statement emerged amidst the US President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to cease hostilities between Israel and the militant organization. In late July, West Jerusalem recalled its negotiators after over two weeks of indirect discussions in Qatar. Israel cited dissatisfaction with Hamas’ response to its ceasefire proposal as the reason for its decision. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, commented that the group’s stance indicated “a lack of desire to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.”