NEW YORK -- After French President Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September, Amb. Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, released the following statement:
“Like the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France, the official representative body of the French Jewish community, I believe President Macron’s unilateral decision pushes peace between Israelis and Palestinians even further out of reach while rewarding the brutal terrorism of Hamas.
“A just and lasting two-state solution cannot be imposed through premature declarations. When Israel has a true partner for peace, only direct bilateral negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians can lead to a durable outcome. President Macron has chosen to ignore this principle and his own prior commitment to recognize a Palestinian state only if Hamas surrenders and all hostages are released.
“President Macron, your dangerous decision risks inviting the next October 7 and emboldening decades of Palestinian rejectionism of Israel’s right to exist. For the sake of a genuine and enduring peace, free from the threat of terror, and out of respect for the families still waiting for their loved ones to return, I urge you to reconsider.”
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