At the initiative of La France Insoumise, the office of the National Assembly voted on Wednesday November 20 to transform the France-Palestine international study group into “ friendship group “. A symbolic decision for this parliamentary body of exchanges which is not unanimous.
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The office of the National Assembly recorded on Wednesday the creation of a France-France friendship groupPalestine. A decision with highly symbolic significance while the creation of such a group normally requires the recognition of a State. A request of the same type was made in May, without success.
This development had been demanded for a long time by the left, but also by the MoDem, a group within which MP Richard Ramos had been very active during the previous attempt: “ This friendship group simply allows French deputies to find their counterparts who are Palestinian deputies. », explains Richard Ramos.
Unsurprisingly, this difference in status delights La France Insoumise, which has made the defense of the Palestinian population in the war in the Middle East one of the major axes of its speech. “ Friendship groups in general are formed with States, recalls MP Éric Coquerel. So this means that, in a certain way, the Assembly recognizes the State of Palestine. So, there will only be the last step left which will be the recognition of Palestine by the French state and I think we must continue to push in this direction. »
A meeting at the end of November to appoint the president of the group
On the other hand, other parliamentarians have expressed their opposition to such a project. In a letter addressed to the President of the Assembly, the president of the Macronist group Gabriel Attal argues that such a development contravenes the criteria set by the Assembly, namely the existence of diplomatic relations with France, the existence of a Parliament and recognition by the UN. Three conditions which are not met by Palestine.
“ This is a political coup from the New Popular Front (NFP) which will not advance peace by a millimeter, believes Mathieu Lefèvre, deputy of the Macronist group and former president of the France-Israel friendship group. But fortunately, it is not the NFP that makes French diplomacy. » « Recognition of a Palestinian state is a much more serious issue than that “, he continued.
It now remains to be seen who will chair this group, seen by its supporters as the first symbolic step towards recognition of Palestine. The appointment of the president of this friendship group could take place on November 25. Richard Ramos could be a candidate, but also NFP deputies.
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