Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, marking a major shift in French diplomacy amid the escalating war in Gaza. The decision has sparked mixed reactions, welcomed by Palestinians and sharply criticized by the Israeli government. «I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine». With these words, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a major shift in French diplomacy on the evening of Thursday, July 24, via a post on X (formerly Twitter). Fidèle à son engagement historique pour une paix juste et durable au Proche-Orient, j'ai décidé que la France reconnaîtra l'Etat de Palestine. J'en ferai l'annonce solennelle à l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies, au mois de septembre prochain.… pic.twitter.com/7yQLkqoFWC — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 24, 2025 The official recognition is set to take place at the UN General Assembly in September, against the backdrop of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. In recent days alone, over 100 people have reportedly died from hunger, according to humanitarian sources. Macron stated that his move is intended to support «a just and lasting peace», calling for an «immediate ceasefire», the «release of hostages», the «demilitarization of Hamas», and the reconstruction of Gaza. He emphasized that the future Palestinian state must «fully recognize Israel» and «contribute to the security of all in the Middle East». The Israeli Government Responds with Outrage The Israeli government reacted with fury. «This decision rewards terror», said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that it would create an «Iranian proxy» at Israel's borders. «The Palestinians do not want a state alongside Israel; they want a state instead of Israel», he added. Justice Minister Yariv Levin went even further, calling the move «direct aid to terrorism» and demanding the annexation of the West Bank. More than 70 members of the Israeli Knesset have backed this position. For its part, Hamas hailed the announcement as «a positive step» and urged other countries to follow France's example. The Palestinian Authority echoed this sentiment. «This position reflects France's commitment to international law», said senior official Hussein al-Sheikh. In France, Macron's announcement has sparked mixed reactions. Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) called it a «moral victory», but questioned the delay: «Why in September, and not now? What about an arms embargo? What about suspending the cooperation agreement [with Israel]?» Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), accused Macron of granting «unexpected legitimacy to Hamas». France's far-right has remained staunchly supportive of Israel's far-right government since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Currently, 142 countries recognize the State of Palestine. France will co-host an international peace conference with Saudi Arabia this fall. A ministerial meeting is scheduled to take place in New York on July 28 and 29.
