France to recognize Palestinian State within months, Macron confirms

France plans to recognize Palestinian State soon

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France plans to recognize a Palestinian State within the next few months, potentially formalizing the move during a UN-led conference in New York this June. Macron shared the update during an interview broadcast on France 5 television on Wednesday.

“We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months,” Macron said, highlighting his commitment to a collective international push for peace.

France is aiming to co-chair the upcoming conference alongside Saudi Arabia. Macron expressed hope that this forum would result in mutual recognition between various parties, including Palestinian factions recognizing Israel in return.

“I will do it because I believe that at some point it will be right… and to also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognize Israel in turn, which many of them do not do,” he added.

France’s longstanding support for the two-state solution

Macron stated that recognizing Palestinian statehood would reinforce France’s position against actors like Iran, who deny Israel’s right to exist. He emphasized that the move aligns with France’s long-standing support for a two-state solution, a stance it maintained even after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

While France has supported the two-state model for years, official recognition of Palestine would signal a significant shift in French foreign policy. It could also provoke tensions with Israel, which maintains that such steps should only come through direct negotiations.

International recognition and regional diplomacy

Palestinian minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin welcomed France’s potential move, calling it a “step in the right direction” toward protecting Palestinian rights and ensuring the viability of a two-state framework.

So far, nearly 150 countries have recognised a Palestinian State. In 2024, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia made similar declarations, influenced partly by global criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the October 7 attacks.

Macron also recently held talks in Egypt with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. He reiterated his firm opposition to any efforts aimed at displacing Palestinians or annexing parts of Gaza or the West Bank.

Macron rejects Gaza relocation proposal

Reacting to a controversial proposal by US President Donald Trump to transform Gaza into a commercial hub and relocate Palestinians elsewhere, Macron was blunt:

“The Gaza Strip is not a real estate project… Our responsibility is to save lives, restore peace, and negotiate a political framework.”

He added that without a clear peace plan and international backing, economic recovery in Gaza remains unrealistic.

“If all this doesn’t exist, no one will invest. Today, no one will invest a cent in Gaza,” Macron said.

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