Macron’s Gamble on Palestine: Diplomacy or Spectacle?

As European leaders stay divided, Macron seeks to rally enactment for a Palestinian state—but the interaction connected Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains uncertain.

A High-Stakes Diplomatic Play

French President Emmanuel Macron is attempting a bold “diplomatic coup” on Monday by convening respective Western nations successful New York to recognize a Palestinian state. Yet, experts accidental his efforts are acold from producing meaningful advancement connected the crushed successful Gaza.

The limits of power astatine the United Nations General Assembly are clear. European powers like Germany and Italy are declining participation, and determination is small accidental of persuading U.S. President Donald Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt subject operations.

Who’s connected Board?

Macron hopes to showcase a conjugation of support, with countries including France, the U.K., Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, Australia, and Canada publicly recognizing Palestinian statehood. A French authoritative described the effort arsenic a “diplomatic victory” for Paris.

“I admit the legitimacy of truthful galore Palestinian radical who privation a state,” French President Emmanuel Macron tells CBS.#Macron #Palestine pic.twitter.com/XPQgWYCAiN

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) September 21, 2025

The broader purpose is to make a counterweight to Trump’s enactment for Israel in Gaza, applying unit for peace. Observers gully parallels to France under Jacques Chirac successful 2003, erstwhile Paris opposed the U.S. penetration of Iraq contempt constricted planetary influence.

Domestic Pressure and Public Opinion

Macron besides faces strong domestic governmental incentives. Western European nationalist enactment for Israel is astatine historically debased levels, according to YouGov polls, arsenic casualties equine successful Gaza. European leaders are alert of rising nationalist outrage and the request to align with voters’ sentiments.

However, the standard of Macron’s power is questioned. Even French officials admit that grand gestures successful New York volition not change the worsening humanitarian crisis, arsenic Israeli tanks beforehand connected Gaza. Neither Israel nor the U.S. are apt to alteration their people owed to Macron’s initiatives.

Europe Divided

Macron’s effort besides exposes deep divisions successful Western Europe. Germany, Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands will not motion onto the initiative. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend, citing home priorities, portion Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni refuses designation of a Palestinian state before its ceremonial establishment.

A elder European diplomat described the gamble: “The anticipation was that Israel would output nether planetary pressure. But that doesn’t look to beryllium happening. The U.S. afloat backs Israel and accelerates West Bank annexations.”

Symbolism Over Immediate Impact

For galore analysts, Macron’s propulsion is little astir contiguous alteration and much about Europe positioning itself vis-à-vis Israel. Europe is haunted by its relation successful the Holocaust and has historically taken small, symbolic steps against Israel, contempt discomfort with its attraction of Palestinians, according to Kristina Kauss of the German Marshall Fund.

Recent moves by the European Commission to enforce imaginable sanctions and tariffs connected Israel people a important displacement successful European thinking—unprecedented for commercialized measures typically reserved for authoritarian regimes.

U.S. and Israel Pushback

Leading up to Macron’s conference, some the U.S. and Israel attempted to undermine French diplomatic efforts. Washington precocious denied a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing him from attending the UN session.

Israel has projected retaliatory measures and sought to nexus French designation of Palestine to the release of remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. As 1 anonymous Israeli authoritative told POLITICO: “If designation is tied to hostage release, Israel mightiness judge it. Otherwise, it won’t alteration anything.”

A Legacy Move?

For Macron, the league is besides a accidental to leave a diplomatic legacy. Former French ambassadors enactment parallels to France’s 2003 stance connected Iraq: symbolic but incapable to halt conflict. “It risks being a discarded of time,” said 1 diplomat.

The European lineup is modest: Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, Canada, and Australia will participate, portion large powers like Germany, Italy, and the U.K. remain cautious oregon absent.

The Real Power Lies Elsewhere

Even if Macron rallies support, existent power continues to reside with Israel’s unwavering ally, the U.S., arsenic Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized Macron’s program as “a slap successful the look to the victims of October 7th.”

Macron’s diplomatic choreography whitethorn make a symbolic infinitesimal for Europe, but the divisions and deficiency of enforcement powerfulness underscore the limits of symbolism successful the look of entrenched geopolitical realities.

Source: pagenews.gr

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