French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will recognize Palestine as an independent state at the UN General Assembly in September. In response, Israel and the US criticized France's decision.
"Faithful to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine. I will solemnly announce this at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year," Macron wrote on the social network X.
The French President stressed the need to immediately establish a ceasefire, release all hostages and provide large-scale humanitarian assistance to the population of Gaza. At the same time, he said, it is necessary to guarantee the demilitarization of Hamas, ensure security and rebuild Gaza.
"Finally, it is necessary to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and allow it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to participate in ensuring the security of all in the Middle East," the message says.
Fidèle à son engagement historique pour une paix juste et durable au Proche-Orient, j’ai décidé que la France reconnaîtra l’État de Palestine.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 24, 2025
J’en ferai l’annonce solennelle à l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies, au mois de septembre prochain.… pic.twitter.com/7yQLkqoFWC
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized and condemned the decision of the French President.
"We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became," he said.
Netanyahu argues that under such conditions, a Palestinian state would become a launching pad for the destruction of Israel, not for peaceful coexistence with it: "Let's be frank: the Palestinians do not want a state next to Israel, they want a state instead of Israel."
We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 24, 2025
A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a…
In addition, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Macron’s decision reckless and “a slap in the face to the victims of October 7.”
“The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. This reckless decision only serves to prop up Hamas and delay the peace process. This is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th," he said.
The United States strongly rejects @EmmanuelMacron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the @UN general assembly.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 25, 2025
This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.
Recall that in May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying that the leaders were on the wrong side of justice.
The statement followed events earlier this week when Britain, France and Canada criticized Israel’s disproportionate expansion of its war, described conditions in Gaza as “intolerable” and threatened “concrete” response if the Israeli campaign continues.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, six children were killed and 17 others were injured at a drinking water distribution point in central Gaza, where an Israeli missile landed.
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