PARIS — In a landmark announcement on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine, a move that signals mounting international outrage over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. Israel swiftly condemned the decision.
Macron made the announcement on X, stating he intends to formalize the recognition during the United Nations General Assembly in September. “The urgent priority is to end the war in Gaza and protect civilians,” he wrote.
While largely symbolic, the decision increases diplomatic pressure on Israel amid escalating civilian casualties and famine in Gaza. France becomes the most influential Western country to recognize Palestine, potentially prompting others to follow suit. Over 140 nations, including more than a dozen European states, have already recognized Palestinian statehood.
Palestinians aim to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem — territories seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel’s government remains firmly opposed to Palestinian statehood, especially after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, arguing that recognition now would embolden militants.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticized Macron’s move, saying: “We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision. It rewards terrorism and risks creating another Iranian proxy, like Gaza already is. A Palestinian state under these conditions would serve as a launch pad for Israel’s destruction, not peaceful coexistence.”
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the move. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received an official letter of recognition on Thursday in Jerusalem.
“We thank and deeply appreciate President Macron,” wrote Hussein Al Sheikh, Vice President of the Palestine Liberation Organization. “This decision affirms France’s respect for international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”
The U.S. administration, led by President Donald Trump, has not issued an immediate response.
France, which hosts both Western Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim populations, has often found itself grappling with the domestic fallout from Middle Eastern conflicts.
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Macron, who initially supported Israel following the Hamas attacks, has grown increasingly critical of the Gaza war and its toll on civilians. “Given France’s historic dedication to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” he posted. “Peace is possible.”
The announcement comes shortly after the U.S. walked away from ceasefire talks in Qatar, citing Hamas’s lack of cooperation, and just ahead of a France-Saudi Arabia co-hosted UN conference focused on reviving the two-state solution.
Last month, Macron reaffirmed his commitment to Palestinian statehood and a parallel path that guarantees Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.
Global discontent with Israel has surged. Earlier this week, France and over two dozen mostly European nations condemned Israel’s aid restrictions and its use of lethal force against desperate Palestinians seeking food.
Macron is set to join British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for urgent talks on Friday, addressing the humanitarian crisis, aid delivery, and potential paths to de-escalation in Gaza.
“We affirm that Palestinian statehood is an inalienable right,” said Starmer. “A ceasefire is essential for progress toward a two-state solution that ensures security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. The suffering and starvation in Gaza is both unspeakable and indefensible.”