Overview

• President Emmanuel Macron is announcing the decision in New York as part of a coordinated diplomatic sequence that also saw the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognize Palestine.
• The move is symbolic in legal terms and does not grant UN membership, which remains blocked at the Security Council level.
• Despite instructions from Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to enforce public‑service neutrality, the Interior Ministry counted 52 town halls displaying Palestinian flags by midday.
• Administrative courts have ordered removals in several cases, and the Malakoff municipality faces a €150‑per‑day penalty if it does not comply with an injunction.
• Israel condemned the recognition, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling a Palestinian state a threat to Israel’s existence, while French authorities heightened vigilance as the announcement coincides with Rosh Hashanah.