Robert Wilkie, former secretary of Veterans Affairs, told Newsmax on Friday that France’s decision to officially recognize Palestine as a state is an attempt to create “a distraction” from the country’s problems.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state, joining more than 140 countries that recognize Palestine and making it the largest Western nation to do so. The decision was denounced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

When asked about the decision on “Wake Up America,” Wilkie said, “I think Macron is trying to create a sense that France can play above its weight” on the global stage.

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