Paris (Caasimada Online) – In a significant policy shift, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September, a move that drew swift praise from Palestinian leaders and fierce condemnation from Israel.
The decision positions France as the largest European power to take such a step, adding significant diplomatic weight to the growing international pressure on Israel over the war and devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Macron said the formal declaration would be made at the United Nations General Assembly. “In keeping with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron stated in a social media post. “Peace is possible.”
The French president, who has become increasingly critical of Israel’s military campaign in recent months, framed the decision as a necessary step toward peace. “The immediate priority today is to stop the war in Gaza and save the civilian population,” he added.
A shift in Paris
The announcement marks a significant evolution in France’s position. Following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, Macron offered strong support for Israel and its right to self-defense. However, as the conflict has dragged on and the civilian toll in Gaza has mounted, Paris has increasingly voiced its dismay.
France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, has historically maintained a delicate diplomatic balance. This move signals a more forceful push for a two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Last month, Macron had already expressed his “determination to recognize the state of Palestine” as part of a broader diplomatic initiative.
Palestinian officials lauded the French decision as a crucial endorsement of their long-standing quest for statehood. Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior official in the Palestinian Authority, expressed his gratitude to President Macron.
“This decision reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state,” al-Sheikh said.
The Islamist group Hamas, which governs Gaza and is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and E.U., also described the announcement as a “positive step.” In a statement, Hamas urged “all countries of the world — especially the European nations that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine — to follow France’s lead.”
Israel’s reaction was immediate and harsh. Yariv Levin, Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, denounced the move as “a disgrace to French history and direct support for terrorism.”
Levin, a prominent member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, suggested that in response to France’s “shameful decision,” it was time to “extend Israeli sovereignty” over the West Bank, a territory Israel has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.
The Israeli government has long opposed unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, arguing it rewards militancy and bypasses the need for a negotiated settlement.
European momentum
France’s decision follows similar moves by Spain, Ireland, and Norway, which all formally recognized a Palestinian state earlier this year, signaling a growing rift within the West over the conflict.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed Macron’s announcement. “We must jointly protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution,” the socialist leader wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The move comes as France prepares to co-host a United Nations conference on the two-state solution next week. More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognize Palestine. However, this group has not included most major Western powers, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
The backdrop to this diplomatic flurry is the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. According to the World Health Organization, the population faces widespread starvation and a collapsed health system. International bodies have condemned Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries and the high number of civilian casualties.
Palestinians seek to establish an independent state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip — all territories captured by Israel in 1967. Israel annexed East Jerusalem and has built dozens of settlements in the West Bank, now home to over 500,000 Israeli settlers, which are considered illegal under international law.
Over three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military occupation with limited autonomy under the Palestinian Authority.