- France will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN meeting in September
- The US and Israel have condemned France's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood
- Israel warns the move rewards terror and threatens its existence
The United States and Israel have condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called France's move a "slap in the face to the victims of the October 7 attack." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the recognition of a Palestinian state "rewards terror" and poses an existential threat to Israel.
France--the most powerful European nation to announce such a move-- is among 142 countries that now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood. The move comes amid International concern over the intensifying plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military's actions have triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation.
Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for Gaza's deepening hunger crisis, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) calls "man-made" and France blames on an Israeli "blockade".
What The US Said
Opposing Macron's move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a "reckless decision (that) only serves Hamas propaganda".
"The United States strongly rejects @EmmanuelMacron's plan to recognise a Palestinian state at the @UN general assembly. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th," he wrote on X, alluding to the Islamist group's attack on Israel in 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.
Israel's Reaction
Macron's announcement also drew anger from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the move "risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became", which would be "a launch pad to annihilate Israel -- not to live in peace beside it".
Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin also slammed France's move, calling it "a black mark on French history and a direct aid to terrorism".
Levin, who is also justice minister, said France's "shameful decision" meant it was now "time to apply Israeli sovereignty" to the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
Hamas Welcomes Move
Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the move, saying it "reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state".
Hamas hailed Macron's pledge as a "positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination".
"We call on all countries of the world--especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine -- to follow France's lead," it added.
France's Move
Macron announced on Thursday that France will move to recognise the state of Palestine in September, as the"urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population".
"We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East," he wrote on social media.
While France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state, several countries have announced plans to recognise statehood for the Palestinians since Israel launched a bombardment of Gaza nearly two years ago in response to the Hamas attacks.
What Other Nations Are Doing
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would hold a call on Friday with counterparts in Germany and France on efforts to stop the fighting, adding that a ceasefire would "put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state".
Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country already recognises Palestinian statehood, welcomed Macron's announcement. "Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution," the Socialist leader, an outspoken critic of Israel's offensive in Gaza, wrote on X.
Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry also hailed Macron's announcement as "historic" and urged other countries to follow suit.
Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Harris, in a post on X, called France's move "the only lasting basis for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike".
Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
