France has formally recognised the State of Palestine, with President Emmanuel Macron unveiling a proposal for a United Nations-mandated international stabilisation force to operate in postwar Gaza. The move has been hailed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and several states but has been strongly opposed by Israel and the United States.
Speaking at a special summit held at the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September 2025, Macron declared, “The time has come to end the war in Gaza, the massacres and the death. The time has come to do justice for the Palestinian people and thus to recognise the State of Palestine in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.”
His address drew standing ovations and was described by PA officials as a “historic and courageous” moment. However, the session was boycotted by US officials and sharply criticised by Israeli representatives.
Growing international support for Palestinian statehood
France’s decision follows coordinated announcements from the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal on 22 September. By Monday evening, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra and San Marino had also declared recognition, bringing the number of UN member states recognising Palestine to over 75% of the global body.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, added that the recognition marked a turning point but “is only the beginning”, urging full UN membership for Palestine.
The UK’s recognition was based provisionally on the 1949 armistice lines, known as the Green Line. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper cautioned that Israeli settlement expansion threatens the viability of a Palestinian state.
Germany, while refraining from immediate recognition, signalled a shift. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated: “A negotiated two-state solution is the path that can enable both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace. However distant it may seem, such a process must now begin.”
Macron’s plan for stabilisation and disarmament
Alongside recognition, France is advocating for a UN-authorised stabilisation force in Gaza, tasked with securing the area, disarming Hamas, and supporting the re-establishment of civil order under the PA.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the plan “disavows Hamas” and excludes the group from any role in postwar governance. The proposed roadmap includes training a new PA police force and creating a transitional administration under international oversight.
Arab League nations have endorsed similar plans, with the body stating that Hamas must cede governance to a reformed Palestinian Authority. The PA has affirmed its readiness to assume control over both Gaza and the West Bank with international support.
UN, EU back Palestinian sovereignty and call for ceasefire
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the growing support for Palestinian statehood, describing it as a “right, not a reward.” He condemned both Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks and the Israeli military response, stating: “Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the formation of a Palestine Donor Group to fund reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
She told the General Assembly, “We must all do more,” underlining the EU’s commitment to a long-term peace process anchored in a two-state solution.
Sharp divisions at the UN over Gaza’s future
Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, dismissed the summit as an “embarrassing political circus” and warned that recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt a reciprocal response, including possible annexation of the West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his rejection of any Palestinian state west of the River Jordan, while President Isaac Herzog said the recognitions “embolden the forces of darkness”.
Israel has intensified its military offensive in Gaza City, claiming that 3,000 Hamas fighters are operating from within civilian infrastructure. Reports from Monday indicated at least 37 Palestinians were killed across the territory, including 30 in Gaza City alone.
The UN confirmed a famine in Gaza last month, and humanitarian groups have warned that the situation is deteriorating rapidly under ongoing bombardment.
Trump to meet Arab leaders as US distances itself
US President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to address the General Assembly on 24 September, did not attend the summit. A White House spokesperson said Trump will use his speech to criticise “globalist institutions” and assert that these bodies have “decayed the world order”.
Trump is expected to meet Arab and Muslim leaders, including representatives from Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to discuss their own stabilisation proposals for Gaza.
However, he has not expressed support for the PA’s role in postwar governance and has imposed sanctions on PA officials. He also revoked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s visa, barring him from attending in person.
Abbas, who addressed the summit via video link, reiterated his condemnation of the 7 October attacks and called on Hamas to surrender its weapons to the PA. “We also condemn the killing and detention of civilians, including Hamas actions,” he said.
Arab states view the meeting with Trump as crucial for determining whether the US administration will support a PA-led civilian administration in Gaza or pursue an alternative path. Some proposals, including one backed by Tony Blair and Jared Kushner, avoid endorsing the PA explicitly.
The UAE warned that annexation of Palestinian territory would cross a “red line”, undermining the 2020 Abraham Accords. UAE officials added that regional integration efforts would collapse if Israel pursued annexation.
Risk of escalation remains high
The US has cautioned allies that the wave of recognitions could provoke a major diplomatic crisis. Israel has already hinted at potential annexation moves in the West Bank and claimed that international recognition amounts to a reward for Hamas.
Macron rejected that argument, insisting the plan marginalises Hamas by excluding the group from all aspects of postwar governance and security.
The PA, which has limited authority in the West Bank and was forced out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007, has expressed readiness to return to governance in both territories with international backing.
Barrot pointed to a seven-page declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly earlier this month, which outlines “tangible, timebound and irreversible steps” toward a two-state resolution. The declaration condemns Hamas and calls for its disarmament.
France stated it will not open an embassy in a Palestinian state until a ceasefire is agreed and all Israeli hostages are released.
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