France announced on Thursday it will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September, a move that drew widespread praise from Arab nations but sharp condemnation from Israel and the United States, highlighting a growing diplomatic rift over the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron said the decision was in keeping with France's "historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East." He added that he would make the formal announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September. In a post on the social media platform X, which included an official letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Macron stressed that the priority was to stop the Israeli war on Gaza and provide relief to the civilian population. "An immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and significant humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza must be achieved," he said. The announcement was met with praise from Palestinian factions and across the Arab world but triggered a furious response from Israel and firm rejection from its main ally, the United States. ISRAELI AND US REJECTION Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the French decision as a "reward for terrorism" and claimed the establishment of a Palestinian state would be a "platform for the elimination of Israel." Defence Minister Yisrael Katz called the move "a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism," while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar attacked Macron, saying he "cannot provide security for Israel… I hope he can do it in the streets of Paris." The United States also voiced its opposition. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said Washington "strongly" rejected the decision, calling it a "reckless" move that "only serves Hamas's propaganda and hinders the achievement of peace." Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, described Paris's decision as "strange and disturbing," arguing it would "make it harder to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip." A German government spokesperson said Berlin did not intend to recognise a Palestinian state in the near future, stating that its priority was "long-overdue progress" towards a two-state solution and that "Israel's security is of paramount importance to the German government." ARAB AND PALESTINIAN PRAISE The move was widely welcomed by Palestinian and Arab leaders. Palestinian Authority Deputy President, Hussein al-Sheikh, thanked Macron for his "steadfast position," while the Hamas movement called the announcement a "positive step in the right direction" that reflected "growing international conviction in the justice of the Palestinian cause." Egypt praised the announcement as a "decisive and historic step" and urged all countries that have not yet recognised a Palestinian state to do so. Saudi Arabia hailed the "historic decision," with its foreign ministry stating that it "affirms the international consensus on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination." The Kingdom renewed its call for other nations to take "similar positive steps." Jordan welcomed the move as a "step in the right direction," while Kuwait and Qatar both praised the announcement and called on other countries to follow suit. The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, called it an "important step reflecting France's commitment to justice and international legitimacy." DIVISIONS IN EUROPE The French move highlighted diverging positions within Europe and the West. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose country recognised a Palestinian state last year along with Norway and Ireland, welcomed France's decision, saying it would "protect" the two-state solution. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa supports a two-state solution that guarantees peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. "Canada will work intensively in all international forums to achieve a two-state solution," he said. In Britain, however, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would only recognise a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated peace agreement, a position that disappointed many in his own ruling Labour Party. Over 220 members of parliament, mostly from the Labour Party, sent a letter to Starmer on Friday urging him to recognise a Palestinian state. One Labour MP said there was "deep anger" within the party over what was perceived as a weak stance on condemning Israel's actions in Gaza. The French announcement comes ahead of a U.N. conference on the two-state solution at the ministerial level on Monday and Tuesday, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia.
