Overview

• Emmanuel Macron made the announcement at a France–Saudi co‑sponsored UN summit, coupling recognition with calls to free 48 hostages and halt fighting in Gaza.
• The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognized a day earlier, with additional European states aligning, while full UN membership still requires Security Council approval that the United States has blocked before.
• Israel and the United States sharply criticized the decision, as Benjamin Netanyahu warned it endangers Israel and President Trump’s spokesperson called it a reward for Hamas.
• Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the move, urged Hamas to surrender its weapons and accept exclusion from future governance, and France signaled an embassy could follow once hostages are freed and a ceasefire is in place.
• In France, the decision split domestic politics and sparked legal fights over Palestinian flags on town halls, while Egypt said it will convene a Gaza reconstruction conference once a ceasefire is secured.