Palestinian State: France First G7 Country To Recognise; How Israel, US Reacted to Macron’s Decision

France is set to join the growing list of countries that recognise a Palestinian state, as President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (July 24) made an announcement on social media. With this, the European nation would become the first G7 member to do so. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.

Macron exuded hope that the move would bring peace to the region, sharing that France will recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN general assembly. Expressing France’s intention to become the first major western power to recognise a Palestinian state, Macron sent a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.

Why France wants to recognise a Palestinian state?

In his letter, French President Macron has stated that the decision is in line with the country’s historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. He stressed that the urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population.

“We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.

Israel and Palestine have been fighting a war since years and their conflict has become one of the longest-running and most violent disputes globally. Like any war, the Israel-Palestine conflict has led to several issues including land, borders and rights are still being felt. The latest in the series is the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Further, Israel’s war in the Gaza strip started on October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a series of attacks on southern Israel, which killed over 1,100 people. In retaliation, Israel too conducted attacks on Gaza which has resulted in almost 60,000 Palestinians being killed, with 144,000 wounded.

What’s the latest update on Israel-Gaza war?

On Monday (July 21), 28 countries – including the UK, Japan and numerous European nations – issued a joint statement telling Israel the war on Gaza “must end now”. They also criticised “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food”.

How has the world reacted to France’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state?

Macron’s major move has been lauded by Palestinian leaders and Hamas, however, it drew criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it a “reward for terror”. He claimed that the decision posed an existential threat, providing a “launch pad to annihilate” Israel.

“Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” he added.

The US, which has supported Israel in the war, also condemned Macron’s announcement. US State Secretary Marco Rubio said that the United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has welcomed France’s move. “I celebrate that France joins Spain and other European countries in recognizing the state of Palestine,” he posted on X. “Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy.”

Saudi Arabia too hailed the announcement as “historic”. The country’s foreign ministry said, “The kingdom praises this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community’s consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state.”

Which countries recognise the state of Palestine?

There is no Palestinian state currently but around 147 countries officially recognise the state of Palestine. Now, France is set to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, bringing the total to 148 countries.

As part of the “two-state solution”, a group of UN experts had last year called on all United Nations member states to recognise the State of Palestine, so as to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the Israel-Gaza war. Since then, Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados have recognised the State of Palestine.