"The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo for France,” French president Emmanuel Macron said earlier this year in February.
Later, in April, he told the press that France would move forward in the coming months, aiming to make the official announcement during a UN‑hosted conference on the two-state solution initially scheduled for June — but then postponed due to Israel bombing Iran.
The conference, which will finally take place on 28 and 29 July, is hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
But neither the French president nor the crown prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman are expected to attend, downgrading the encounter to a simple ministerial meeting.
On Thursday (24 July), Macron announced on social media that France will recognise Palestine as a state, at the UN General Assembly in September.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine,” he said.
“The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population,” Macron added. “It is essential to build the state of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East”.
Faced with US opposition and without backing from the UK, France previously said that the decision to recognise Palestine would not be unilateral.
However, the deadlock in international diplomacy, not least among EU member states, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the growing support from Global South countries seem to have pushed Paris to move forward.
France, home to the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in western Europe, would become the largest Western country and the first G7 economy to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024; Slovenia followed suit in June 2024.
Macron’s announcement was condemned by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on social media, arguing that such a move “rewards terror” and risks creating “another Iranian proxy”.
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” he said.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz also said: "Macron's announcement of his intention to recognise a Palestinian state is a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism … Instead of standing with Israel in this time of trial, the French president is acting to weaken it.”
The US also rejected Macron’s plans.
“This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of 7 October,” said US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Palestine's statehood has so far been recognised by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations.
But the two most pro-Palestinian EU member states, Spain and Ireland, welcomed Macron's move.
“I welcome France joining Spain and other European countries in recognising the state of Palestine,” said Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez.
"This is an important contribution towards implementing the two-state solution, which offers the only lasting basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike," said Ireland's deputy PM and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris.
Ahead of the French-Saudi summit next week, British prime minister Keir Starmer said he would hold an “emergency call” later on Friday (25 July) with France and Germany to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“While the situation has been grave for some time, it has reached new depths and continues to worsen. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe,” he said in a statement.
“We all agree on the pressing need for Israel to change course and allow the aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay,” he also said.
The UK has argued that a ceasefire would create the political conditions for London to recognise the Palestinian state in the face of the two-state solution.
Friday’s call follows technical discussions in Brussels over the controversial EU-Israel “understanding” on access to humanitarian aid in Gaza — which several EU countries consider insufficient.
The deal included a “substantial increase” of daily trucks for food and non-food aid entering Gaza, the opening of crossing points, the reopening of the Jordanian and Egyptian aid routes, enabling the distribution of food supplies throughout the Gaza Strip, and the resumption of fuel deliveries.
During Wednesday's talks, most EU countries condemned the worsening humanitarian crisis, including starvation, denial of aid, and attacks on civilians and aid workers.
The Netherlands denounced Israel's failure to comply with the agreement, pointing to specific breaches, including Israel’s refusal to allow 116 aid trucks into Gaza and the limited delivery of humanitarian aid.
France, Slovenia and Sweden strongly supported the need for decisive EU action, while Spain made references to the EU’s obligation under international law.
Germany, for its part, called for real monitoring of the situation on the ground.
Hungary and the Czech Republic appealed to the importance of maintaining dialogue with Israel.
So far, there is no EU common position over which steps to take, as most measures require unanimity.
EU foreign affairs ministers will revisit the issue during their informal ‘Gymnich’ meeting in August, but no new decisions on Israel relations are likely to be taken before October, when ministers next hold formal talks.
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Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.