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The announcement by President Emmanuel Macron comes as world leaders meet to revive the long-stalled two-state solution.
France has recognised a Palestinian state, joining several Western countries in doing so, ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.
“We have gathered here because the time has come,” President Emmanuel Macron said at a UN summit convened to revive the long-delayed two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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“The time for peace has come. It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.
“Today, I declare that France recognises the State of Palestine,” he said at the conference as envoys from the US and Israel were both missing from the event.
The Palestinian Authority hailed the French move as a “historic and courageous decision”.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomes the recognition of the State of Palestine by the friendly Republic of France, considering it a historic and courageous decision that is consistent with international law and United Nations resolutions and supports ongoing efforts to achieve peace and implement the two-state solution,” the PA’s foreign ministry in Ramallah said in a statement.
Recognition by Australia, Britain, Canada and Portugal on Sunday piled pressure on Israel as it intensifies its genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 65,300 Palestinians, and turned the Palestinian enclave to ruins.
Speaking at the conference on implementing the two-state solution, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his support for the two-state solution, framing it as the only viable path toward peace after years of failed negotiations and ongoing violations on the ground.
The statehood for the Palestinians, he said, “is a right, not a reward”.
The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has however, criticised the recognition of Palestine by Western governments, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the move will “embolden [Hamas]” and make it harder to end the war.
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated similar lines, saying US President Donald Trump “believes it is a reward to Hamas”.
“The President has been very clear, he disagrees with this decision. He spoke about that in the UK…He feels this does not do anything to release the hostages which is the primary goal right now in Gaza, does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close…he believes it is a reward to Hamas,” she said at a briefing highlighting the 40 Israeli captives held in Gaza.
She did not mention the more than 65,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s offensive since October 2023.
Palestine is expected to top the agenda of the UNGA, to be attended by more than 140 world leaders. But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won’t be able to attend, as the US has denied him a visa.
Reporting from UN headquarters in New York, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said that
There is a momentum building up for UN leaders to discuss a two-state solution.
“The only problem they face is that establishing a viable Palestinian state is something that requires a nod from the US administration, which does not seem to be willing to go down that path,” he said.
“For many European leaders, this is not a symbolic gesture, but an attempt to try and push for a new political order to prevail in the near future. They say they have leverage that they are ultimately going to use to put an end to the war in Gaza,” he added.
