French protesters say Macron’s Palestine recognition plan isn’t enough

The protesters used pots and pans to make noise and draw attention to the situation, calling on French authorities to take action.

Footage from the protest shows participants holding placards that read “Stop the Gaza genocide” and chanting slogans such as “Boycott Israel.” The protest took place at the Invalides metro station in Paris.

“The Americans are the main participants in this war, in this ongoing genocide. They have killed more than 500 Palestinians with their forces as they came seeking humanitarian aid. Today, the American statement saying that they will move on to another plan to recover Israeli prisoners in Gaza means an acceleration of this ongoing genocide,” Salah Hamouri, a Franco-Palestinian lawyer and member of the Emergency Palestine association, stated.

The protest comes after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would officially recognise the State of Palestine in September. If implemented, this would make France the first permanent member of the UN Security Council and the first G7 country to take such a step.

“Because of its position and its ability to influence international policy, but also because of its responsibility to sell arms and help the State of Israel continue to bomb the Gazans in the Gaza Strip,” Ali, one of the protesters, commented on France's role in the conflict. “So France has a great responsibility. Today, we hear talk of recognising the State of Palestine. For me, this is just a way of relieving the pressure felt domestically, but for me it's a responsibility in total,” he added.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the hunger crisis in Gaza has reached critical levels. One-third of the population reportedly goes multiple days without food, and one in five people is facing starvation. The WFP also warns that nearly 100,000 women and children are experiencing severe acute malnutrition and are in urgent need of treatment.