France Urges EU Pressure on Israel for Two-State Deal

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France Urges EU Pressure on Israel for Two-State Deal \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ France is urging the EU to pressure Israel toward accepting a two-state solution amid escalating war in Gaza. The move comes days after France pledged to recognize Palestine and co-chaired a global conference on the conflict. With U.S. and Israeli absences, France calls for stronger international leverage to revive the peace process.

Quick Looks

French Foreign Minister Barrot urges EU to “incentivize” Israel toward peace.
France co-chaired a downgraded UN summit on two-state solution with Saudi Arabia.
125 nations attended, but Israel and the U.S. declined participation.
France pledges to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.
France is now the only G7 nation to back Palestinian statehood.
France calls for lifting Israel’s €2B blockade on the Palestinian Authority.
Settlement building, Gaza aid blockade, and food delivery deaths were condemned.
Netanyahu rejects two-state solution; U.S. calls the conference “unproductive.”
Saudi Arabia reiterates normalization with Israel depends on a Palestinian state.
Trump breaks from Netanyahu, urges increased aid to starving Gazans.

Deep Look

As the Gaza conflict intensifies and diplomatic frustration deepens, France has taken a bold step, calling on the European Union to apply direct pressure on Israel to accept a two-state solution — a decades-long international goal for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, speaking at the opening of a high-level United Nations conference in New York, warned that the political status quo is eroding prospects for peace and enabling a humanitarian catastrophe. “There is consensus that the time for a political solution is now,” Barrot said. “But we must back our words with action.”

Barrot’s remarks came as he co-chaired the conference alongside Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Though initially planned for June and intended to be a heads-of-state gathering, the meeting was downgraded to the ministerial level — yet still drew representatives from 125 countries, including 50 foreign ministers. Notably absent were Israel and the United States, both of which dismissed the conference as counterproductive.

Barrot made it clear that France wants the European Commission, acting on behalf of the EU, to step in as a forceful diplomatic actor. He called for the bloc to demand Israel:

Lift its €2 billion financial blockade on the Palestinian Authority
Halt settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank
End the “militarized” humanitarian system in Gaza, which he said has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths

“The aim is to reverse the erosion of the two-state solution — the only viable path to peace and security for both sides,” Barrot said.

France Rises as a Western Leader on Palestine Recognition

The timing of France’s calls is critical. Just days ago, President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognize the State of Palestine in September at the UN General Assembly. If carried through, France will become the first G7 nation to do so — joining over 140 countries, including several in Europe, that already recognize Palestinian statehood.

This move marks a major foreign policy shift for a Western power, and its potential ripple effect could reshape how other nations engage with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At the UN summit, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa urged more countries to follow France’s lead. “The path to peace begins by recognizing the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction,” he said.

U.S.-Israel Rift Grows Amid Gaza Crisis

The conference also highlighted an emerging divide between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly over Gaza. While Netanyahu has categorically rejected a two-state solution, citing both nationalist and security concerns, Trump signaled a more moderate tone.

Speaking Monday, President Donald Trump called for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, where hunger is reaching emergency levels and starvation deaths are mounting. It marked a rare break from Netanyahu’s claims that “there is no starvation in Gaza.”

Despite skipping the conference, the U.S. was not ignored. Both Barrot and Farhan emphasized that American leadership remains essential in the region. Farhan noted that Trump had brokered the only ceasefire during the 21-month war, suggesting his involvement is crucial to any long-term resolution.

“I am firmly in the belief that Trump’s engagement can be a catalyst,” Farhan said, “for an end to the immediate crisis in Gaza and potentially a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the long term.”

Normalization Hinges on Palestinian Statehood

Another focal point of the conference was Arab-Israeli normalization — a key component of U.S. and Israeli strategy in recent years. But Saudi Arabia reiterated a long-standing Arab position: normalization cannot proceed without Palestinian statehood.

“Normalization with Israel can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Farhan stressed.

This assertion strikes at the core of ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Israel and various Arab nations, which have stalled amid escalating violence in Gaza and Israel’s refusal to engage on the two-state front.

Global Momentum Building — But Resistance Remains

France’s strategy is clear: isolate Israel diplomatically until it re-engages in peace talks. By raising the profile of the Palestinian cause at the EU and UN, Macron hopes to reorient the conversation away from military dominance and toward political negotiation.

But the obstacles are formidable. Netanyahu remains firmly opposed to Palestinian sovereignty. The U.S. continues to favor behind-the-scenes diplomacy over public pressure. And the humanitarian crisis in Gaza threatens to derail any political dialogue.

Nevertheless, Barrot’s final message to world leaders was unmistakable: words are no longer enough. “We must show the means by which we incentivize Israel to listen,” he said. “Otherwise, we risk the complete disappearance of the only viable solution.”