WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL

The US State Department avoided commenting Thursday on French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent suggestion that France could recognize a Palestinian state within months.

“I can tell you that we are aware of the reports that you refer to regarding the French government’s remarks, and we refer you to them for further comment,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, when asked about Macron’s remarks during a daily press briefing.

She did not elaborate further, instead emphasizing that the US “stands firmly with the state of Israel in its pursuit to bring all the hostages back home and the defeat of Hamas.”

“The groundbreaking Abraham Accords and the devastating October 7th (2023) attacks have forever changed the Middle East,” she said. “We need to explore new policy prescriptions that ultimately end up in a better life for the Gazans and the Palestinians.”

Macron said Wednesday that France plans to recognize a Palestinian state and could do so as early as June.

“We must move toward recognition, and we will do so in the coming months,” he told France 5 television.

“I’m not doing it for unity or to please this or that person. I’m doing it because at some point it will be fair,” he added.

France plans to co-host an international conference with Saudi Arabia for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the coming months.

Currently, 147 of the 193 UN member states recognize the state of Palestine.​​​​​​​