French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, making it the first G7 country to take such a step.
Macron made the announcement in a post on X, revealing that the formal declaration will be made during the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
“The urgent need today is for the war in Gaza to end and for the civilian population to be rescued. Peace is possible. We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” Macron wrote.
The announcement has been welcomed by Palestinian officials who say it marks a major breakthrough in their decades-long quest for international legitimacy and statehood.
However, the announcement drew sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described it as a decision that “rewards terror” in the wake of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
