'We look forward to France recognising Palestine,' Abbas tells France's Macron

Palestinian Authority President Mahmous Abbas asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to recognise the Palestinian state, during a meeting in Ramallah on Wednesday as part of the French leader's visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, media have reported.

"We are looking forward to recognition [of the Palestinian state] by European countries that believe in the two-state solution," Abbas told Macron.

"We are looking forward to France's recognition of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as the only way to salvage the European-backed two-state solution. That will give hope to our people about the prospects of achieving peace and stability," Abbas said.

The Palestinian leader's request conerning 1967 borders is the widely accepted two-state solution, which includes mutually agreed land swaps to compensate for Israeli settlements inside Palestinian territory.

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Abbas also told Macron that he intended to hold presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible. The 84-year-old leader also urged France and European Union countries to put pressure on Israel to allow residents of east Jerusalem to vote.

General elections were postponed indefinitely in 2014 over a rift between rival parties Hamas and Fatah. The last presidential elections were held in 2004, meaning Abbas is currently serving the 15th year of his four-year term.

Macron caused a stir during his visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday after his outburst at Israeli security guards was caught on camera.

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The French president let rip after security guards pushed past the French detail and were first to enter at the Church of Saint Anne, which is French state property.

"Everybody knows the rules. I don't like what you did in front of me," an animated Macron loudly told the Israeli personnel, speaking in English, in the crush to enter the building.

Macron is in Jerusalem to attend a ceremony to commemorate the liberation 75 years ago of Nazi Germany's Auschwitz death camp in what was then occupied Poland.

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