French President Emmanuel Macron. (Photo: Kremlin, via Wikimedia Commons)
In a diplomatic shift, France will formally recognize Palestine this September, Macron confirmed amid growing pressure to end the Gaza war.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine in September, during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The move marks a significant shift in French diplomacy and comes amid growing international calls to end the war in Gaza and revive the stalled peace process.
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“Faithful 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 wrote in a statement published on social media. He added that “the urgent priority is for the war in Gaza to end and for humanitarian relief to reach the civilian population.”
According to French media, Macron’s statement was accompanied by a signed letter addressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In it, he reaffirmed France’s support for the two-state solution and the Palestinian right to self-determination.
France is set to co-host, alongside Saudi Arabia, an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this September.
Initially scheduled for June, the summit was postponed due to the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran. A ministerial-level preparatory meeting will reportedly be held on July 28–29 in New York.
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In his statement, Macron emphasized that “it is finally time to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and allow it to contribute to regional security by accepting demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel.”
He claimed France’s recognition was intended to be a “decisive contribution to peace in the Middle East,” and called on international partners to join in supporting the initiative.
France’s announcement comes amid intensifying diplomatic efforts to halt Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
(PC, French Media)