French President Emmanuel Macron said that France will recognize a Palestinian state in September, demanding that the war in Gaza cease.
“True to 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 said in a statement. “I will make the solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September. The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population.”
He added that it is “essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” further emphasizing that there is “no alternative.”
“In light of the commitments made to me by the president of the Palestinian Authority, I have therefore written to him of my determination to move forward,” Macron wrote.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Macron’s statement, calling it “reckless” and a move that “only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu similarly criticized the comment, noting that it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” he said. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
Vice President of the Palestinian Authority, Hussein Al Sheikh, thanked Macron for his position, stating it “reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”
Earlier this year, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot asserted that France is “determined” to recognize a Palestinian state. “We cannot leave the children of Gaza a legacy of violence and hatred. So all this must stop, and that’s why we are determined to recognise a Palestinian state,” he said, adding, “And I am actively working towards this, because we want to contribute to a political solution in the interest of the Palestinians but also for the security of Israel.”
