French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state has reignited global debate on the two-state solution, angering Israel and its key ally, the United States.
In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Macron said the move was driven by “our determination to see the Palestinian people have their own state” and by “outrage at the appalling humanitarian disaster in Gaza.”
France, along with the UK, Canada, Australia, and Malta, plans to formalize recognition during the UN General Assembly later this month. Other countries, including New Zealand, Finland, and Portugal, are considering similar steps.
Netanyahu has rejected Palestinian statehood and vowed to continue Israel’s military offensive, which has left Gaza in ruins and claimed more than 63,000 lives, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The US has also opposed recognition, with Ambassador Charles Kushner warning it would “embolden extremists” and “endanger Jewish life.”
Analysts say the recognition, while mostly symbolic, adds pressure on Israel by restoring the two-state solution to the center of international diplomacy. “Symbols matter,” said Pascal Boniface, director of the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Relations.
Macron and other leaders have urged Israel to halt its offensive, warning that displacement, famine, and devastation in Gaza will only deepen the country’s isolation.
More than 140 nations already recognize a Palestinian state, but France’s decision marks the first major Western power to take the step in years, potentially strengthening moderate Palestinian voices and reviving long-stalled peace efforts.
In a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Macron said the move was driven by “our determination to see the Palestinian people have their own state” and by “outrage at the appalling humanitarian disaster in Gaza.”
France, along with the UK, Canada, Australia, and Malta, plans to formalize recognition during the UN General Assembly later this month. Other countries, including New Zealand, Finland, and Portugal, are considering similar steps.
Netanyahu has rejected Palestinian statehood and vowed to continue Israel’s military offensive, which has left Gaza in ruins and claimed more than 63,000 lives, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The US has also opposed recognition, with Ambassador Charles Kushner warning it would “embolden extremists” and “endanger Jewish life.”
Analysts say the recognition, while mostly symbolic, adds pressure on Israel by restoring the two-state solution to the center of international diplomacy. “Symbols matter,” said Pascal Boniface, director of the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Relations.
Macron and other leaders have urged Israel to halt its offensive, warning that displacement, famine, and devastation in Gaza will only deepen the country’s isolation.
More than 140 nations already recognize a Palestinian state, but France’s decision marks the first major Western power to take the step in years, potentially strengthening moderate Palestinian voices and reviving long-stalled peace efforts.
