French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday formally recognised a Palestinian state, using a UN summit to urge an end to the Gaza war and to call for peace talks.
“The time for peace has come,” Macron told delegates, stressing the need to halt bombings, killings and mass displacement in Gaza. He added that freeing the 48 hostages held by Hamas was also essential.
Australia, Britain, Canada and Portugal joined France in the landmark move, despite sharp opposition from Israel. Israeli ambassador Danny Danon condemned the recognition, accusing Western leaders of “supporting terrorism.”
The United States, Israel’s key ally, lobbied against the decision. President Donald Trump argued Palestinian statehood should only follow negotiations, while Germany also rejected recognition, insisting peace must come through talks.
More than 140 world leaders are attending the summit, though Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was barred from entering the US and will participate virtually.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state, pledging to expand settlements. Two of his far-right ministers went further, calling for annexation of the West Bank.
Macron, exasperated by Israel’s prolonged offensive, said France could not delay recognition any longer. Rights groups warned the step would be meaningless without practical measures, citing what they called an “erasure of Palestinian life.”
Since Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 Israelis, Israel’s military operations have left more than 65,000 Palestinians dead, mostly civilians, according to figures cited by the UN.