France clarifies recognition of Palestinian state at UNGA not tied to Gaza ceasefire

With the UN General Assembly (UNGA) set to begin in New York on Sept. 9, France is expected to officially announce its recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of the opening proceedings. 

Near the end of July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that “Consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote on 𝕏 at the time. “I will make this solemn announcement before the United Nations General Assembly this coming September.” 

Macron also noted that he had written a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing his "determination to move forward.” 

Shortly after Macron’s announcement, and following the publication of misleading images in international media depicting alleged famine in Gaza, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom would also recognize a Palestinian state, even if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza. 

France, by contrast, did not tie its recognition announcement to the status of a ceasefire.

Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warned that recognizing a Palestinian state under current conditions would reward Hamas terrorism and pose a direct threat to Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also blasted the decision, saying that it “only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th." 

France had previously co-hosted a conference in New York with Saudi Arabia, aiming to secure a joint declaration of Palestinian statehood with other Western nations. However, with Israel and the U.S. boycotting the event, the gathering concluded with only a declaration of intent to pursue recognition at the UNGA in September.

At the time, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce dismissed the conference as a "publicity stunt" to empower Hamas and undermine prospects for peace. 

"This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Far from promoting peace, the conference will prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and reward its obstruction and undermine real-world efforts to achieve peace," Bruce said in an official statement. 

Several days after France and Britain announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada would follow suit.

Despite protesting that such a move did not represent a “reward for Hamas,” the terror group was quick to praise the nations for their recognition, with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamed saying the recognition is “one of the fruits of October 7.” 

The three Western nations were also joined by Australia, whose Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his government’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state at the UNGA next month.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently severely criticized the diplomatic push, calling the two-state solution the “two-state illusion.” 

"In the international community, it's become a slogan, two-state solution. Who said it's the solution? It's probably the problem. I say it's the two-state illusion," Sa’ar stated earlier this month. He also noted that the only previous attempt to establish a Palestinian state – in Gaza after the 2005 Disengagement Plan – ultimately resulted in the creation of a terror state.

Last week, Netanyahu sent harsh letters to the leaders of France and Australia, calling them out for the rising levels of antisemitism in their countries while they focus on targeting Israel's actions in Gaza.

“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets,” Netanyahu wrote in the letter to Macron. 

Israeli Ambassador to France Joshua Zarka called France’s push for recognition of a Palestinian state a “terrible mistake,” saying it is driven by domestic fears over France’s large Muslim immigrant population, rather than a clear foreign policy. 

Recently, Israeli coalition government members called for Netanyahu to declare sovereignty over the territories of Judea and Samaria in response to the push for a Palestinian state. 

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also announced the approval of the controversial and long-delayed E1 settlement plan, saying the approval “buries the idea of a Palestinian state.” 

Western nations attacked the announcement as counterproductive, urging Israel to cancel construction of new settlements in the disputed territories. 

So far, the United States has opposed plans to recognize a Palestinian state and has refused to comment on the E1 plan.