French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at the Hotel le Brienne ahead of the Bastille Day parade in Paris, France, on July 13, 2025. Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will officially recognize Palestine as a state in the coming months, drawing criticism from the Israeli leadership.
In a statement, Macron said he would formally announce the decision at the United Nations General Assembly in September, citing the urgency of ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The conflict erupted after Hamas launched a terror attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead and 251 abducted.
