French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius on Friday said his country would officially recognize the Palestinian state if diplomatic efforts to bring about peace fail.

"We must act to make progress in the implementation of peace which should be based on the co-existence of two sovereign and democratic states living side-by-side in peace and security," Fabius told the French parliament.

"If final efforts to negotiate fail, then France will have to do what it takes by recognizing without delay the Palestinian state," he added.

French lawmakers are discussing a bill, presented by the ruling Socialist party, to recognize a Palestinian state to promote security and peace in the Middle East.

Fabius spoke in favor of "a real Palestinian state" that must be followed by taking concrete action "after 25 years of an unfruitful peace process."

In a move to pressure both sides to overcome the impasse, France proposed a UN-backed resolution to set two-year timeframe to reach a negotiated solution to the decade-long conflict in the region.

"We are backing negotiations but we refuse the fact that talks will be the management method of an unfair status-quo," the French top diplomat stressed.

France's lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, on Friday started discussions on whether to recognize a Palestinian state with the final vote scheduled for Dec. 2.

Last month, Britain, Ireland and Sweden voted through a symbolic motion to recognize Palestine.

According to the daily Le Figaro, about 150 pro-Israeli protestors have been gathered in front of the National Assembly to denounce the due vote likely to "encourage terrorists" and "be a message for the Jewish community to leave France."

A second demonstration is scheduled next week.

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