French President Emmanuel Macron announced France will formally recognize the State of Palestine at September’s UN General Assembly, making it the first G7 nation and most powerful Western country to do so. Macron called the move essential for a “just and lasting peace,” demanding an immediate Gaza ceasefire, hostage release, and massive humanitarian aid. He emphasized that Palestine must be “demilitarized” while fully recognizing Israel’s right to security. The decision aligns Palestine with 142 UN member states, 75% of the international community though critical Western powers like the U.S., UK, and Germany still withhold recognition.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s deputy, Hussein al-Sheikh, hailed France’s “commitment to international law” and Palestinian self-determination. Hamas welcomed it as a “positive step” toward justice. Israel reacted furiously: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “reward for terror” that risks creating “another Iranian proxy,” while Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled it a “surrender to terrorism”. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the move as “reckless” and a “slap in the face to October 7 victims”.
Saudi Arabia praised the “historic decision,” urging other nations to follow. Pakistan separately condemned Israel’s “unlawful assertion of sovereignty” in the West Bank, calling it a “dangerous escalation” violating international law. Canada and Australia intensified pressure, with PM Mark Carney accusing Israel of causing a “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster” and blocking Canadian-funded aid. Australian PM Anthony Albanese denounced Israel’s “killing of civilians seeking food and water”.
Macron’s announcement follows dire warnings from UN agencies that one in five children in Gaza City suffers acute malnutrition, with 900,000 children “going hungry” amid Israel’s siege. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini described Gazans as “walking corpses”. France joined 27 nations this week condemning Israel’s aid restrictions and civilian killings, signaling that Gaza’s humanitarian collapse propelled Macron’s decision.
The recognition aims to revive the two-state solution amid Israel’s annexationist policies. Macron seeks to leverage France’s diplomatic weight to pressure allies like the UK, where PM Keir Starmer called it a “path to peace” but stopped short of immediate recognition. Analysts note the move could harden Hamas’ stance in ceasefire talks but isolates Netanyahu’s government. With the U.S. boycotting a key UN conference on Palestinian statehood next week, France’s bold stance marks a rupture in Western support for Israel.