France has officially recognized the State of Palestine, becoming the first G7 nation and the first permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to take this step. President Emmanuel Macron announced the recognition during the United Nations General Assembly in July 2025, describing it as a moral and political necessity to advance the long-delayed two-state solution.
This decision not only changes France’s position in the Middle East conflict but also signals a possible shift in the balance of global diplomacy on one of the world’s most enduring disputes.
France’s Announcement at the United Nations
The announcement came through a message from President Macron to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, where Macron emphasized that the recognition was not just a symbolic move but part of a renewed French effort to restart peace negotiations.
Macron’s letter, later published on social media, stated that “enough was enough” after years of violence, deadlock, and humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank. He said France wanted to inject momentum into international diplomacy and make it clear that peace cannot come without acknowledging Palestinian statehood.
By making this declaration at the United Nations, Macron ensured that the world’s attention was firmly on France’s new role. For Palestinians, the move was seen as long overdue; for Israelis and some allies, it was deeply controversial.
Breaking New Ground Among G7 Nations
France’s recognition is groundbreaking because it represents the first time a major Western power belonging to both the G7 and the UN Security Council has endorsed Palestinian statehood.
For decades, the idea of a Palestinian state has been supported in principle by many governments, but few Western powers have acted on it. Until now, the majority of recognitions came from countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. More than 147 UN member states already recognize Palestine, but none of the world’s wealthiest democracies had done so.
France’s step could inspire others such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, who have recently shown interest in similar actions, to follow suit.
Historical Context: A Conflict Stretching Back Decades
The Israeli Palestinian conflict is one of the world’s longest-running disputes. Since the creation of Israel in 1948, Palestinians have struggled for recognition of their own independent state.
The Oslo Accords of the 1990s brought hopes of peace and created the Palestinian Authority, but the two-state solution has stalled ever since. Israeli settlements in the West Bank, periodic wars in Gaza, and political divides among Palestinians themselves have made negotiations extremely difficult.
For many years, Western powers insisted that Palestinian statehood should come as the result of a peace agreement with Israel. France’s recognition breaks from this tradition by declaring that recognition itself can help restart negotiations.
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