Faith Nyasuguta
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has announced that his country will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September, making France the largest Western nation so far to take this bold step. Macron confirmed the move in a statement on X, saying he would make the recognition official during his address to 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 recognise the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote. “I will solemnly announce this at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year.”
France’s decision places fresh pressure on other major European powers, especially the United Kingdom and Germany, who are now coordinating closely with Paris. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will hold urgent talks with France and Germany about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the next steps towards peace. Starmer has linked a Gaza ceasefire with the wider push for a two-state solution, arguing that recognition of Palestinian statehood is key to lasting peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Macron’s announcement comes amid growing anger in Europe over Israel’s devastating war in Gaza. More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed and severe restrictions on aid deliveries have left countless people hungry. Earlier this week, France joined over 20 other Western nations, including the UK, Australia and Canada, in condemning Israel’s restrictions on aid and the killing of Palestinians seeking food. The joint statement declared the war “must end now.”
France now joins countries like Norway, Ireland and Spain, which have all signalled plans to recognise Palestine. In total, at least 142 of the UN’s 193 member states already recognise or plan to recognise Palestine, but powerful Western nations like the US, UK and Germany have long resisted doing so – until now, as the tide appears to be turning.
Macron’s move has been welcomed by Palestinian leaders. In a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Macron outlined his intent to push forward with recognition. Abbas’s deputy, Hussein al-Sheikh, praised France’s stance as a clear commitment to international law and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. Hamas, the group that governs Gaza, also hailed Macron’s decision as a “positive step” and urged other countries to follow France’s lead.
While many see the move as historic, big obstacles remain. Israel still occupies large parts of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem – long seen as the capital of any future Palestinian state. Israel has continued expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, moves widely condemned as illegal under international law. Just this week, Israel’s parliament passed a symbolic measure calling for the formal annexation of West Bank land it captured in 1967.
Unsurprisingly, the Israeli government has reacted with fury. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office slammed Macron’s plan, claiming it rewards terror and would create a new base for Iran’s influence in the region – just as Gaza, they say, did after Israel’s withdrawal. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz called France’s announcement “a disgrace” and vowed Israel would never allow a Palestinian entity that threatened its security.
Despite the backlash, Macron’s push for recognition marks a major shift in Europe’s approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict. France’s foreign minister is due to co-host a conference at the UN next week focused on reviving talks for a two-state solution. The hope among European allies is that recognition, paired with real diplomatic pressure, could help bring about a long-delayed peace.
For many Palestinians, the gesture is deeply symbolic but could also open doors for more nations to follow suit. Late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat declared an independent Palestinian state back in 1988 during the First Intifada, but the dream has remained blocked by decades of occupation, settlement expansion and war.
With France stepping forward, the question now is whether other influential Western states will finally do the same – or continue to wait as the conflict drags on. For now, Macron’s move sends a clear message: Europe’s patience with the endless cycle of violence is running out, and the idea of an independent Palestine may be closer to reality than ever before.
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