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6h ago

France Leads Wave of Palestinian State Recognitions at UN Summit as Israel and US Boycott

Backers cast the move as a bid to preserve two-state prospects, with outcomes constrained by ongoing fighting plus a likely U.S. veto.

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A large screen displays Palestinian and Israeli flags and a dove on the Eiffel Tower, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Paris, as France prepares to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Overview

  • President Emmanuel Macron announced France’s recognition at a France–Saudi convened meeting after the U.K., Canada, Australia and Portugal acted on Sunday, with Malta, Belgium, Luxembourg and Monaco also reported joining on Monday.
  • Paris framed recognition as political and immediate but said full diplomatic ties would come gradually, conditioning a French embassy on Palestinian Authority reforms, a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
  • The United States and Israel skipped the session; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Palestinian statehood and Israeli officials signaled possible annexation or bilateral measures, with a formal response expected after his Washington meeting with President Donald Trump.
  • On the ground, Israel’s renewed Gaza City offensive continued, a Gaza health official reported an evacuation order for the Jordanian field hospital in Tal al-Hawa, and UN-linked monitors counted roughly 297,597 southward movements from Aug. 14 to Sept. 20.
  • Diplomats described the recognitions as largely symbolic because full UN membership still requires Security Council approval, as Mahmoud Abbas addressed the meeting by video after a U.S. visa denial and pledged reforms and elections following a ceasefire.