French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he would decide “in the next couple of days” whether to take concrete steps against Israel over the war in Gaza, during a press conference with Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who again accused Israel of premeditated genocide in the Strip.

“We will ramp up pressure in coordination with the Americans to obtain a ceasefire” in Gaza, said Macron, amid criticism of Israel’s renewed offensive in the Strip by European allies, including Germany and Britain.

The comments came as France was due later this month to co-host with Saudi Arabia a United Nations conference in New York on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Macron said that he expected the conference to take steps “toward recognizing Palestine,” without being more specific.

He has said he hopes French recognition of a Palestinian state would encourage other governments to do the same, and that countries that do not recognize Israel should do so.

The comment came as Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a press conference with his Israeli counterpart that recognizing Palestinian statehood at the moment would send “the wrong signal.” Wadepuhl also criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and called on Jerusalem to let more aid enter the Strip.

Speaking alongside Macron, Lula, whose country recognized........

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