France will officially recognise a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September, president Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. Posting on X and Instagram, Macron wrote, “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.”Macron had earlier hinted at the move in April and during a UN peace conference planned in New York this June. He said recognition should create a “collective dynamic” in the region and lead to reciprocal recognition of Israel by Arab states. The announcement drew sharp criticism from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He called the plan “a grave mistake” and accused Macron of ignoring the risks posed by Hamas and other groups. Netanyahu said Israel would not accept “moral lectures” about statehood from countries that reject independence in their own territories. France has supported a two-state solution for years, but formal recognition has so far been avoided. Nearly 150 countries already recognise Palestine. Recent moves by Ireland, Spain, Norway and Slovenia to do so came amid growing anger over Israel’s actions in Gaza. Macron later clarified that France supports a Palestinian state without Hamas and reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to peace and security.
