France's parliament will vote on whether it will recognize the Palestinian state
Officials announced Wednesday that France's National Assembly will vote on whether it will recognize a Palestinian state.
The vote, planned for Nov. 28, "could help end the decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians," according to The Associated Press, even though the resolution would be "largely symbolic."
Two years ago, President Francois Hollande said that he supported "international recognition" of a Palestinian state. His Socialist government would have final say if the vote is approved by parliament's lower chamber. The upper house of parliament, meanwhile, will vote on a similar resolution from the Communist Party on Dec. 11.
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"The government's responsibility is not just to recognize a state — a Palestinian state," government spokesman Stephane Le Foll told reporters on Wednesday. "It's to make sure that it's recognized on an international scale."
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.