Macron Signals France’s Imminent Recognition of Palestinian State

By Staff, Agencies

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France may formally recognize the State of Palestine “in the coming months,” a move that could significantly impact global diplomacy.

In an interview with France 5 television on Wednesday, Macron confirmed that he intends to push forward with the recognition at an upcoming United Nations conference focused on the Middle East, set for June, which France and Saudi Arabia will co-chair.

“We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months,” Macron declared. “I’m not doing it to please anyone. I’ll do it because at some point it will be right.”

Palestinian officials have welcomed the announcement, with Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Palestine’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, calling it “a step in the right direction in line with safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-state solution.”

However, "Israel" strongly opposed the move. "Israeli" Foreign Minister Gideon Saar argued that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would reward "terror" and bolster Hamas.

On X [formerly Twitter], Saar stated: “A ‘unilateral recognition’ of a fictional Palestinian state, by any country, in the reality that we all know, will be a prize for ‘terror’ and a boost for Hamas. These kinds of actions will not bring peace, security, and stability in our region closer – but the opposite: they only push them further away.”

Macron’s comments add to the growing international momentum for Palestinian statehood. Currently, 147 out of the 193 United Nations member states recognize Palestine as a sovereign state.

In the past year alone, nations such as Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados have granted formal recognition.