French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced that France will recognise Palestine as a state, as anger mounts over the death toll in Gaza and the growing number of people starving in the enclave.
Mr Macron said he will formalise the decision at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.″
More than 140 countries recognise Palestinian statehood but Israel and the US are staunchly opposed. The US State Department did not immediately return a request for comment on France's move.
France joins Norway, Ireland and Spain as the countries in Europe that have so far recognised Palestine. To date, only nine EU member states have taken this step, making France’s move particularly significant—especially given its status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
"The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population," Mr Macron wrote.
"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."
Some 40 foreign ministers are expected next week in New York to discuss a two-state solution as a first step towards September's meeting. The leaders' conference had initially been scheduled for June 18 but was pushed back because Arab leaders were unable to travel after most of the Middle East closed its airspace amid an air war between Israel and Iran.
Israel has for months argued that recognising Palestine would be akin to rewarding Hamas for leading the October 7, 2023 attacks. It has also threatened to annex the West Bank in response - which would in effect block the establishment of a Palestinian state by depriving it of its land.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he strongly condemned France's decision.
"Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became," he said. "A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel."
Israel is also highly sensitive to political pressure from Europe, having worked hard behind the scenes diplomatically to avoid any backlash after the bloc found that Israel had breached a human rights clause that is enshrined in their relations.
Last week, the EU struck a deal with Gaza to allow more aid in, though it appears European countries are now dissatisfied with the agreement because of how little food has since entered the enclave.
Images of starving children in Gaza have shocked the world, and Mr Macron is set to discuss the situation during an emergency call with leaders of Germany and the UK on Friday.
French officials say that recognising Palestine is the opposite of a reward to Hamas, because it gives Israelis and Palestinians the possibility to break the cycle of violence and live side by side peacefully.
Mr Macron framed his move as a response to a letter from Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas sent to him in June, in which he condemned the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, 21 months ago. Mr Abbas also promised to reform the PA and to organise presidential and legislative elections in 2026.
France, like other European countries, views the PA as the only alternative to Hamas in Gaza and supports a demilitarised Palestinian state. Mr Macron's letter to Mr Abbas was hand delivered to Mr Abbas on Thursday by France's consul in Jerusalem, Nicolas Kassianides.
Yet initial hopes that Arab states would join France in an exercise of "mutual recognition," meaning that Saudi Arabia would at the same time normalise relations with Israel, have been dashed by failures to end the Gaza war.
Saudi Arabia has no intention of engaging without a ceasefire and demands a clear pathway to a Palestinian state from Israel as a counterpart to normalisation.
Mr Macron had always said he did not want to move alone like Spain, Norway and Ireland did last year when they recognised Palestine with little consequence on the ground. France now appears isolated, though there is a strong expectation that the UK may join Paris in recognising Palestine later this year.
Speaking earlier this month in front of the House of Commons, Mr Macron said: "Working together in order to recognise the state of Palestine and to initiate this political momentum is the only path to peace."
