Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy expressed his opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state ahead of next week’s French parliamentary vote according to a report Wednesday in The Times of Israel:

“I will fight for the Palestinians to have their state. But unilateral recognition a few days after a deadly attack and when there is no peace process? No!” he said at a political rally.

Sarkozy said he would never accept a resolution that would “call into question the security of Israel.”

“This is the fight of my life,” he said.

Sarkozy stated that the legislative consideration of the measure was particularly inappropriate following the “heinous and bloody” terror attack in Har Nof last week in which five Israelis were killed.

The Times also reported that “on Tuesday, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said the Netherlands would not recognize a Palestinian state in the near future.” Koenders emphasized that a Palestinian state “must be a part of negotiations.”

Some European countries have passed resolutions in support of Palestinian statehood. Israel recalled its ambassador to Sweden last month in response to that country’s declaration of support for a Palestinian state. The United States remains opposed to unilateral Palestinian efforts to achieve statehood outside of the framework of negotiations.

[Photo: Guillaume Paumier / Flickr ]