Rubio says Palestinian state recognition derailed Hamas ceasefire talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that sensitive negotiations to secure a hostages-for-ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas collapsed after French President Emmanuel Macron declared his intention to recognize a Palestinian state.

According to Rubio, the talks fell apart “on the day Macron made the unilateral decision” to push forward with recognition. He added that subsequent statements from other nations promising recognition if no ceasefire was reached by September reinforced Hamas’ belief that holding out could yield political rewards.

“Hamas concluded, ‘let’s not do a ceasefire because we can be rewarded. We can claim it as a victory,’” Rubio explained, warning that such diplomatic signals “have made it harder to get peace and harder to achieve a deal.”

Macron’s July 24 announcement stated that France, “consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” would bring the recognition proposal to the United Nations in September. He framed the move as part of efforts to end the war in Gaza and ease the humanitarian crisis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply condemned the decision, calling it a dangerous concession in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas massacre. “Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” Netanyahu said. “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel not to live in peace beside it.”

The Israeli leader argued that current Palestinian leadership seeks Israel’s elimination, not coexistence. His remarks reflected deep concerns in Jerusalem that premature state recognition undermines security and incentivizes further violence.

Following Macron’s lead, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and takes steps toward a long-term peace plan. Canada and Malta soon followed with similar commitments.

The diplomatic pressure adds another layer of complexity to a conflict already marked by high stakes and deep mistrust. For Israel, the recognition of Palestinian statehood absent security guarantees risks legitimizing groups committed to its destruction. For Hamas, the shifting stance of Western powers appears to have offered a reason to stall, leaving hostages still in captivity.

Amid these international maneuvers, Israel remains steadfast in its demand for the release of every hostage and the dismantling of Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure before any permanent settlement can be considered.

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