France will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations general assembly in September, President Macron has announced.
The announcement came with Macron due to hold emergency talks on Gaza with Sir Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, on Friday.
Macron, who wants to create international “momentum” for a two-state solution, may be hoping that his move will increase the pressure on Starmer to follow suit amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Protestors on Place de la Republique in Paris as part of the international day against racism and fascism in March
BERTRAND GUAY/AFP
French diplomacy has traditionally been notably more pro-Palestinian than that of the UK or Germany, but Paris believes its European allies are moving closer to its position amid images of starvation in Gaza.
In a post on X, Macron said he had decided that France would recognise the state of Palestine. “Given its historic commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine,’’ he wrote on the social media platform. “The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population. Peace is possible.”
His words were welcomed by Hussein al-Sheikh, the deputy head of the Palestine Authority, who said the announcement reflected France’s commitment to international law and “its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”.
Yariv Levin, the Israeli deputy prime minister, called it “a black mark on French history and a direct aid to terrorism”.
Macron initially intended to recognise Palestine at a UN conference in June but this was postponed because of the Israel-Iran war.
More than 140 members of the UN recognise the Palestinian state including at least 11 in the European Union. Spain and Ireland announced their recognition of Palestine last year.