Macron urges two-state solution to end Gaza conflict during London visit

LONDON - Visiting French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday highlighted the two-state solution to solving the conflicts in Gaza, adding that recognizing the State of Palestine is the "only path to peace".

While addressing the British parliament during his first day of state visit, Macron said the two-state solution will allow Israel to live in "peace and security alongside its neighbors". He called for the release of all hostages and urged all parties to work together on a path to peace in the Middle East.

A "war without end" poses a "huge threat" to the region, he said, stressing that Britain and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council who are deeply committed to multilateralism, "must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference."

While Britain and France both support a two-state solution, there is not yet agreement on the timing for recognizing a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, Macron called for Britain and France, the only European countries with nuclear weapons, to strengthen cooperation in defense and security in the face of "hesitant alliances and the return of major conflict" in Europe.

On the topic of illegal migration, the French leader said: "We cannot allow our countries' rules for taking in people to be flouted and criminal networks to cynically exploit the hopes of so many individuals." He described the issue as "a burden" for both countries.

Despite joint funding and cooperation, nearly 20,000 people have arrived in Britain from France via small boats crossing the English Channel so far this year, marking a 50 percent increase on the same period in 2024. Both Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are under immense pressure at home from an urge of far-right and anti-immigration political discourse.

Macron said both Britain and France are responsible for tackling illegal migration "with humanity, solidarity and firmness". It remains unclear if the two sides will reach a new deal to tackle illegal migration during Macron's three-day visit.

Macron kicked off his state visit to Britain earlier Tuesday, the first such visit by a French president since 2008. He is also the first European leader to make a state visit to Britain since Brexit.

He underscored Britain's ties with the EU despite Brexit, adding that trade between Britain and France has "surpassed pre-Brexit levels".

At the Britain-France summit later this week, France is expected to deliver additional investment to enter a "new era" of cooperation in the energy and space fields, according to Macron.

"The only way to overcome the challenges we have, the challenges of our times, would be to go together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder," he said.

Macron's visit comes at a time of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and turmoil in the Middle East, especially with the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump's administration.

However, observers said trust remains to be built as the pair tries to lift the relations that had soured during negotiations over Brexit, which the French president described as a product of "lies and false promises". Dialogue between the two nations had diminished following bitter rows over fishing rights and UK submarine contracts with Australia.

Sebastien Maillard, an expert at London-based Chatham House think tank, said he believed on both sides, "the memory of these difficult times has not vanished." "Trust needs time to build," he added.