Macron of France: "Palestine to Be Recognized as a State"

"Announcement to Be Made at the UN General Assembly in September"
Israel Responds... Netanyahu Says "Encourages Terrorism"

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on July 24 (local time) that France will recognize Palestine as a state. This move is intended to pressure Israel to agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip war and to urge humane treatment of Palestinians.

On this day, President Macron issued a statement on the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), saying, "France has decided to officially recognize the State of Palestine in accordance with its longstanding commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

Emmanuel Macron, President of France. Photo by Reuters-Yonhap News

He added, "We will solemnly announce this at the United Nations General Assembly in September."

President Macron's recognition of Palestine as a state is aimed at pressuring Israel to agree to a ceasefire. He stated, "The most urgent task right now is to stop the war in the Gaza Strip and provide relief to civilians," and emphasized, "Peace is possible."

As a result, France becomes the first major Western country to recognize Palestine as a state. According to the British daily The Guardian, more than 140 out of approximately 200 United Nations member states recognize Palestine as a state. However, the United States and its major allies do not. France is also the first among the Group of Seven (G7) nations to take this step.

Israel immediately expressed strong opposition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned President Macron's decision on X, stating, "Such a move encourages terrorism and carries the risk of creating another Iranian proxy, as happened in the Gaza Strip." Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz criticized, "President Macron's declaration to recognize Palestine as a state is a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism."

This decision could also provoke the United States. The New York Times reported, "This decision is likely to anger the Donald Trump administration, which supports Israel and is making its own efforts to end the Gaza Strip war."

Meanwhile, other U.S. allies are also expected to face pressure to recognize Palestine as a state. In the United Kingdom, cabinet ministers have been urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer in recent months to recognize Palestine as a state.