France considers recognizing a Palestinian state

France's Socialist Party initiated a nonbinding motion on Friday that would recognize a Palestinian state, and after lawmakers debated the move, the motion is expected to pass a Tuesday vote in Parliament's lower house.

While the motion, if passed, would be symbolic, it follows other European nations that are criticizing Israel for its policies toward Gaza, The New York Times notes. France's motion says it would, "reinforce our country's diplomatic action, prevail over hate speech everywhere, and contribute to the establishment of peace in the Middle East."

But not all French lawmakers are on board with the motion; while most approve of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, some on Friday said they worried about the timing of the vote. The motion was debated just a week after a West Jerusalem synagogue was attacked, and five Israeli civilians were killed.

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