France to Recognise Palestinian State at UN in September, Macron Confirms

French President Emmanuel Macron has officially announced that France will recognise Palestine as a sovereign state, making the declaration in a post on X on Thursday. He said the move will be formalised during his address at the United Nations General Assembly this September.

“In keeping with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote.

The decision marks a major shift and positions France as the most powerful European nation to take this step, following in the footsteps of Norway, Ireland, and Spain.

So far, at least 142 out of 193 UN member states either recognise Palestine or have expressed plans to do so. But some of the biggest Western powers — including the United States, the UK, and Germany — still refuse to follow suit.

The timing of Macron’s announcement comes amid growing public outrage across Europe over Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza. Since the start of the war in October 2023, more than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities. Severe Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid have also triggered mass starvation, with UN agencies warning that famine conditions have already taken hold.

Earlier this week, France joined 23 other countries — including the UK, Canada, and Australia — in condemning Israel for blocking aid shipments and targeting Palestinians seeking food. In a rare joint statement, the group declared:

“The war must end now.”

France’s foreign minister is also expected to co-host an upcoming UN conference focused on reviving the two-state solution. Macron had previously voiced his intent to move toward recognition of Palestine, but his Thursday post confirms the timeline.

Meanwhile, in the UK, newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to speak with Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an urgent call on Friday to coordinate positions on Gaza. Starmer has suggested that a ceasefire should open the path to recognising Palestinian statehood, framing it as part of a long-term vision for peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.

With input from Al Jazeera