French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will formally recognize the State of Palestine this September during the UN General Assembly in New York, making it the first G7 nation to do so.
In a statement on X, Macron emphasized the urgency of ending the Gaza conflict, calling for an immediate ceasefire, hostage release, and humanitarian aid. “Peace is possible,” he wrote, while also stressing the need to demilitarize Hamas and rebuild Gaza alongside recognizing both Israel and a viable Palestinian state.
Reactions were swift and divided:
- Palestinian officials welcomed the decision as a reflection of international law and Palestinian rights.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move as a reward for terror, claiming Palestinians do not seek coexistence but Israel’s destruction.
- The U.S., via Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called the recognition “reckless.”
- Saudi Arabia and Hamas praised the decision, urging others to follow.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans emergency talks with European leaders, stating a ceasefire is key to achieving a two-state solution.
Currently, over 140 UN member states recognize Palestine, but none from the G7 — until now.
The announcement comes amid the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel. The death toll in Gaza has since surpassed 59,000, according to health authorities.
