France will recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
"True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine. I will make a formal announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September," Macron posted on social media.
"The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population. Peace is possible."
Israeli defense minister: Macron's support of Palestinian statehood 'a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism'
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has hit back over French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that he will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
"Macron's announcement of his intention to recognize a Palestinian state is a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism, granting a reward and encouragement to the murderers and rapists of Hamas, who carried out the most horrific massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust," Katz posted on X.
"Instead of standing with Israel in this time of trial, the French president is acting to weaken it. We will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence, and undermine our historical right to the Land of Israel. We are all united to prevent this grave danger."
Netanyahu says Macron's move to recognize a Palestinian state 'rewards terror'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize a Palestinian state is a move that "rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became."
"We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre," Netanyahu wrote on X.
"A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel," he said.
Palestinians welcome Macron's decision
The Palestinian Authority on Thursday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's declaration that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' deputy Hussein al-Sheikh said the decision "reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state."
Earlier on Thursday, Macron published a letter sent to Abbas confirming France's intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition.
The militant group Hamas called Macron's pledge a "positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination."
Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also welcomed the French decision to join Spain in recognizing an independent Palestinian state, saying it would "protect" a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution," the Spanish PM posted on X.
US Secretary of State Rubio 'strongly rejects' Macron's plan
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday sharply criticized France's intention to recognize a Palestinian state and called the decision "reckless."
"The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state," Rubio wrote on X. "This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th."
