France Moves to Recognize Palestinian State Amid Mixed Reactions

Tue Oct 14 2025 10:09:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

President Emmanuel Macron is set to formally recognize a Palestinian state, a move seen as a pivotal diplomatic gesture, supported by several European nations but met with resistance from Germany, Italy, and Israel.

In a significant diplomatic development, President Emmanuel Macron announced France's formal recognition of a Palestinian state amidst the United Nations General Assembly. While this move aims to catalyze a peace process, it has stirred controversy, receiving support from allies but facing opposition from Germany and Italy, as well as criticism from Israel, which views it as a reward for Hamas.

President Emmanuel Macron will formally recognise a Palestinian state in New York on Monday, backed by several European countries, describing France's move as a 'necessity'.

Coming hard on the heels of a decision by the UK, Canada and Australia, Macron said his move would be the 'beginning of a political process and a peace and security plan for everybody'.

France, like the UK, carries considerable diplomatic weight as both a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the G7, and is co-ordinating the push with Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of this week's UN General Assembly.

Paris will not be joined by two of the other big European states in the G7, Germany and Italy, and not by the US either.

Israel has denounced the move as a reward for Hamas, and its UN ambassador has called Monday's event a circus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted there will be no Palestinian state to the west of the River Jordan, and President Isaac Herzog said recognising one would only 'embolden the forces of darkness'.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was adamant that his country's move was a 'categorical rejection' of Hamas but said it was 'symbolic, immediate, and political, demonstrating France's commitment to the two-state solution'.

Barrot spoke of Macron's declaration as a 'great diplomatic victory for our country'. Paris has said Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta are also set to announce formal recognition, along with the tiny states of Andorra and San Marino. Portugal made its own declaration late on Sunday.

Ahead of Macron's announcement, the Palestinian and Israeli flags were displayed on the Eiffel Tower on Sunday night. A number of town halls in France also flew Palestinian flags on Monday, despite a government order to local prefects to maintain neutrality.

Pro-Palestinian protests also took place in Italy, in some 80 towns and cities in Italy, where Giorgia Meloni's government said recently it could be 'counter-productive' to recognise a state that did not exist.

In Germany, the government says Palestinian statehood is not currently up for debate, and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul explained that 'for Germany, recognition of a Palestinian state comes more at the end of the process. But this process must begin now'.

European Union officials have also toughened their language against Israel in recent weeks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for an end last week to 'the horrific events taking place in Gaza on a daily basis'.

In a CBS News interview, President Macron spoke of a phased plan that would involve stabilising Gaza and the governance and reconstruction of Gaza, with the ultimate perspective of two states. Opening a French embassy would be conditional on the release of hostages still held by Hamas, he stressed.

However, Macron's high-profile move has met with criticism from some political opponents, highlighting the complexities surrounding the recognition of Palestinian statehood in a volatile geopolitical landscape.