01:54Here in France, this, again, what the Israelis call a publicity stunt, happening just days before Emmanuel Macron might recognize a Palestinian state.
02:07What's the calculus in French domestic politics?
02:09There may have been a strategic calculation here.
02:15Who knows?
02:17Is that going to change anything that President Macron would have done anyhow?
02:22It doesn't seem very likely.
02:24And it doesn't, I doubt that it's going to change French public opinion either, which is already pretty settled in.
02:30And so, you know, French public opinion, which has changed since the initial attack of October in 2023.
02:37Not only for France, but for most of the rest of the world and in the United States as well, of course.
02:41So in that sense, the, you know, the publicity battle, the communications battle has already, you know, been largely lost by Israel.
02:52So how is this going to change anything?
02:54What it will change, that's, it's for sure, is that the, will probably burnish a little bit more Greta Thunberg's reputation among those particularly who adore her.
03:07It'll burnish her reputation a bit.
03:09For those who don't like her or dislike her, even detest her, that's not going to change much either.
03:15So, you know, what's really been achieved here?
03:18The question then becomes, there are those who are strongly of one party, strongly of the other.
03:25But there's also a lot of people who are indifferent.
03:29And at this point in time, for those who are indifferent to what's going on, what would France recognizing a Palestinian state change?
03:39You know, I mean, there's been the indifference for a very long time.
03:43I don't think this action of, on the part of this flotilla is going to change that either.
03:53Opinions are pretty well fixed in.
03:55People who want to learn about this have already learned about it.
03:58Those who are paying attention are paying attention.
04:01So it might draw attention to what's going on in Gaza for today and for tomorrow.
04:07But once again, I really doubt that it's going to have much impact.
04:09When Macron possibly recognizes that Palestinian state at that conference, again, it's not been confirmed, but it's a possibility that's taking place in New York.
04:19It's at a meeting that's co-chaired with Saudi Arabia.
04:24Is that a way to get the attention, really, of Washington?
04:28I doubt it.
04:30I don't think that's going to change Donald Trump's position in any way.
04:36What's Macron going to do?
04:40Is he going to say that France hopes there will be a Palestinian state?
04:44Will there be some sort of formal ceremony, a formal recognition?
04:47What's going to happen at the UN?
04:49I haven't learned anything about that.
04:52I'm not sure that anything's been clearly announced about that.
04:54It's easy for politicians to say that, leaders of the world to say that they'll-
05:02of that joint statement of condemnation, what was going on in Gaza, signed with Canada and the United Kingdom.
05:09Yeah.
05:09Okay.
05:10So, once again, a joint statement like this from political leaders has more impact than, well, let's call it what it is.
05:19And I think that even those who were on that boat would call it a publicity stunt or a publicity action, a publicity stunt.
05:26It's a word that's oriented, but-
05:29My question is, what would France recognizing a Palestinian state change?
05:33We've seen the other EU members have done so recently, like Spain and Ireland.
05:40But if it's France, a permanent member of the Security Council doing it, what does it change?
05:45Well, first of all, the Palestinians would have to build a state.
05:47That's not easy.
05:50They have, if you can even call it something like a state or government now, it's largely dysfunctional.
05:56So, even if there's a declaration or some sort of official recognition of a Palestinian state, there's no Palestinian state.
06:03It still has to be built.
06:06And, once again, you know, even Saudi Arabia doesn't much like the idea of Hamas having an important role in the future Palestinian state.
06:13So, they're allergic to that, not only Saudi Arabia, but most of the Arab states don't particularly like the idea of a Palestinian state, if one can be constructed, in which Hamas would have an important role.
06:25So, what's really going to change here?
06:28It's going to be preceded here in Paris by a two-day conference of civil society bringing together Israelis and Palestinians.
06:35The idea is to try to find some kind of new momentum for some kind of process that would change the narrative.
06:45Well, that can only be positive.
06:47Anything that tries to change the narrative is positive.
06:51But the narrative has been present for decades.
06:56How is the narrative going to be changed in the next few days or the next few weeks or the next few months?
07:01So, who holds the cards?
07:02Who holds the cards?
07:04Those who've always held the cards.
07:07Israel, all of the Arab states in the region.
07:13So, you know, the Palestinians don't have very many cards at all.
07:16Or they have cards.
07:17They're very weak ones, as they've always had.
07:20All right.
07:21Many thanks for that.
07:23Stephen Ekovich for being with us here on France 24.
07:25Thanks.
07:26And that flotilla stopped.
07:28But there are people trying, by land, to have a convoy bound for Gaza.
07:34They're setting out from Tunisia to, quote, break the siege on the Palestinian territory.
07:40The nine-bus convoy isn't bringing aid, but rather aimed at carrying out a symbolic act by breaking the blockade on the territory.
07:49Their plan is to travel through Libya and Egypt, so far yet to make their way across.
08:01Coming up next, we have more news, plus the day's business and sports.
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