French President Emmanuel Macron formally recognised a Palestinian state at the United Nations on Monday, marking a symbolic but historic step that adds to mounting Western pressure on Israel.
Speaking at a UN summit in New York — notably boycotted by Israel and its main ally, the United States — Macron urged an immediate halt to the Gaza war. “The time for peace has come, as we are just moments away from no longer being able to seize it,” he told delegates, while also demanding the release of 48 hostages held by Hamas.
Macron emphasised that France would not open a Palestinian embassy until both a ceasefire is reached and the hostages are freed. The Palestinian Authority hailed the recognition as “historic and courageous,” giving Macron a standing ovation.
France was joined by Australia, Britain, Canada, and Portugal in recognising Palestine, followed swiftly by Monaco, Belgium, Andorra, Malta, and Luxembourg. Together with earlier recognitions from Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden, three-quarters of UN member states now acknowledge Palestine as a sovereign state.
Israel strongly condemned the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to block Palestinian statehood, while Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon accused supporters of “backing terrorism.” The White House also criticised the decision, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying President Donald Trump views it as “a reward to Hamas.”
The summit was co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan urged all nations to follow suit, calling recognition “a necessary step toward peace.”
Still, major powers including Germany, Italy, and Japan stopped short, insisting a negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable path forward. Analysts cautioned that the wave of recognitions remains largely symbolic without tangible enforcement on the ground, where Israel’s military continues its offensive in Gaza.
The conflict began with Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities — figures regarded as credible by the UN.
