PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled that France may formally recognise a Palestinian state in the coming months, potentially at a United Nations-backed conference in New York scheduled for June.
The move, if realised, would mark a major shift in France’s longstanding Middle East policy and could have significant diplomatic repercussions.
Speaking during an interview broadcast on France 5 television on Wednesday, Macron stated: “We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months.”
His remarks came during a week in which he also visited Egypt, engaging in diplomatic talks with regional leaders on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The French president revealed that France is working alongside Saudi Arabia to chair an international peace conference in June, where the initiative for mutual recognition between Israel and Palestine could be finalised.
“Our aim is to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia in June, where we could finalise this movement of mutual recognition by several parties,” Macron said.
Explaining his motivation, Macron added, “I will do it because I believe that at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do.”
The proposed recognition, Macron argued, would also strengthen France’s position against forces that deny Israel’s right to exist.
He made specific mention of Iran, stating, “Such recognition would allow France to be clear in our fight against those who deny Israel’s right to exist – which is the case with Iran – and to commit ourselves to collective security in the region.”
France has historically supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, consistently calling for peaceful negotiations and mutual recognition.
However, formal recognition of a Palestinian state by a major Western power like France would represent a significant policy departure, especially in the current geopolitical context following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The timing and method of any recognition remain critical issues. While Macron’s remarks underscore a growing impatience with the stalemate in peace negotiations, the French government is aware of the potential diplomatic fallout.
Israel has repeatedly warned that unilateral recognition by foreign governments undermines the peace process and rewards Palestinian factions that have not recognised Israel’s right to exist.
If France proceeds with recognition, it would join several EU countries, including Sweden, which officially recognised a Palestinian state in 2014. Spain, Ireland, and other European nations have also expressed support for coordinated recognition efforts.
As preparations for the proposed June conference continue, Macron’s statements place France at the heart of a renewed international push to resolve one of the world’s most enduring conflicts.
Whether the initiative can bring about a broader consensus remains to be seen, but Paris appears ready to take a decisive step.
