Germany has no ‘short-term’ plans to recognise Palestinian state

Germany has said it does not plan to recognise a Palestinian state “in the short term”, after France announced its intention to do so. German recognition of Palestine would be “one of the final steps” in a Middle East peace settlement, said a statement from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s office. It came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country would make the move in September. The German government “remains convinced that only a negotiated two-state solution will bring lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians”, it said.