France will become the first G7 country (alongside the U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, the U.K., and Italy), the twelfth out of the EU’s 27 members, and the 148th UN member state (out of 193) to recognize the State of Palestine. The move will be formally announced this September at the UN General Assembly.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the decision reflects France’s “historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” In his statement on X, Macron also called for the disarmament of Hamas, reiterating that it should play no role in Gaza’s future governance, which he argued should fall to its rival, the Palestinian Authority, currently administering the West Bank.
Other EU states—including Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia—recognized Palestine last year, but France’s decision is considered more consequential, according to the New York Times. France is home to the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in Western Europe, and is the EU’s only nuclear power and permanent member of the UN Security Council. Notably, Greece has yet to recognize the Palestinian state.
The recognition increases pressure on Israel and carries political, legal and symbolic weight for international support of a two-state solution.
The decision comes amid growing international condemnation of mass starvation in Gaza, caused by Israel’s control over humanitarian aid access. In the past 24 hours alone, 113 Palestinians have died of malnutrition—81 of them children—according to the UN, which reports that even aid workers in Gaza’s community kitchens are now starving. The UNHCR chief described Palestinians as “neither dead nor alive—walking corpses.”
Both Israel and the United States condemned Macron’s announcement, a reaction expected to strain their diplomatic ties with France. Shortly afterward, both France and the U.S. withdrew from ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, accusing the group of “not seeking a ceasefire” and announcing they would explore “alternative options” for securing the return of hostages.
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