NEW YORK — France has formally recognised a Palestinian state, joining a growing list of Western nations in a move aimed at reviving stalled efforts toward a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict.
President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement on Monday during a special summit at the United Nations, declaring that “the time for peace has come” and warning that “nothing justifies the ongoing war in Gaza.”
The summit, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, focused on international steps toward establishing a Palestinian state.
Several G7 powers, including the United States, Germany and Italy, declined to attend.
Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino are also expected to follow suit this week, after the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised Palestine on Sunday.
Macron told delegates that the international community had failed to deliver a just and lasting peace in the Middle East but insisted that the two-state solution remained “the only credible path.”
He pledged French support for a transitional administration in Gaza led by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and signalled readiness to contribute to a stabilisation mission.
However, he made France’s full diplomatic recognition conditional: Paris would only open an embassy to a Palestinian state once a ceasefire is in place and all Israeli hostages held by Hamas are released.
Growing Pressure on Israel
The decision piles additional pressure on Israel, which is facing mounting international criticism over its ongoing offensive in Gaza and expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military campaign following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage.
A famine was confirmed in Gaza last month as Israeli forces pressed deeper into Gaza City.
Israeli officials swiftly dismissed the French move. UN Ambassador Danny Dannon called the UN summit a “charade,” saying a two-state solution was taken “off the table” after the October 7 assault.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed there will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, while President Isaac Herzog warned recognition would “embolden the forces of darkness.”
Regional and Global Responses
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, speaking on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told the summit that only a two-state framework could deliver lasting peace.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new financial instrument to support Gaza’s reconstruction, adding that Brussels would establish a Palestine Donor Group.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation in Gaza as “morally, legally and politically intolerable” and reiterated that the two-state solution remained the “only credible path” forward.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who addressed the summit by videolink after Washington revoked his visa, called for a permanent ceasefire and urged Hamas to disarm.
“What we want is one unified state without weapons,” Abbas said, condemning the October 7 attack while appealing directly to Israelis: “Our future and yours depends on peace. Enough violence and war.”
Political Symbolism in Europe
The announcement was accompanied by symbolic gestures in France, where the Palestinian flag was projected onto the Eiffel Tower on Sunday night.
Several town halls also flew the flag, despite government instructions for neutrality.
Across Europe, reactions remained mixed. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni said recognition could be “counter-productive,” while Germany’s foreign minister said Berlin was not ready to endorse Palestinian statehood but stressed that “the process must begin now.”
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were staged in more than 80 Italian cities over the weekend.
Macron closed his remarks with a warning that the world risked sliding into “endless wars” if the status quo remained unchanged. “Right must always prevail over might,” he said.
