Overview

• Macron announced that France will formalize Palestinian state recognition during the 80th UN General Assembly in September, making it the first G7 country to endorse statehood
• He justified the decision by emphasizing the urgent need to halt the war in Gaza and expand civilian relief efforts
• Senior Israeli and U.S. officials condemned the announcement as rewarding terrorism, while Palestinian Authority leaders praised it as a commitment to self-determination
• Britain and Germany held emergency talks with France on Gaza but maintained that formal recognition should follow negotiated peace and a ceasefire
• France aims to leverage its leadership to rally broader European support and revitalize two-state solution momentum ahead of UN discussions