France in favour of Palestinian UN bid

France has announced it plans to vote in favour of recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly tomorrow.

It is the first major European country to come out in favour, dealing a major setback to Israel. The timing appears aimed at swaying other nations.

Foreign minister Laurent Fabius told parliament France had long supported Palestinian ambitions for statehood and would “respond ‘yes’” when the issue came up for a vote “out of a concern for coherency”.