French Sources: Paris Rejects Netanyahu's Statement on Greater Israel

SadaNews - The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that French diplomatic sources stated that Paris has renewed its firm commitment to the two-state solution, considering Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about "Greater Israel" a serious departure from international consensus and a direct threat to regional stability.

Netanyahu had stated during an interview with the Israeli channel i24 that he is on a "historic and spiritual mission," referring to his emotional attachment to the vision of "Greater Israel," which includes territories that extend beyond the historical borders of Palestine to encompass parts of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. These statements sparked widespread outrage on social media, with observers viewing them as a blatant declaration of expansionist ambitions threatening regional security.

In the same context, the newspaper confirmed that the Israeli National Security Council held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss ways to respond to the increasing wave of international recognition of a Palestinian state. This meeting comes amid rising international pressure on Israel, particularly following reports from the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, warning that the continuation of the war in Gaza and the rejection of political initiatives could lead to a "diplomatic tsunami" against Israel, strengthening global recognition of the Palestinian state.

For his part, French Ambassador to Israel Frédéric Journès acknowledged that Paris had previously hesitated to recognize a Palestinian state, but the goal of this step now is to find a way out of the war, as his country is set to recognize a Palestinian state in September, amid Israeli opposition to this move.