TLDR:
• France to recognise Palestinian state
• Macron to announce at UN in September
• Gaza ceasefire, aid part of plan
PARIS (The Thursday Times) — In a dramatic shift on the diplomatic chessboard of the Middle East, France has confirmed it will formally recognise the State of Palestine this September, elevating its long-stated support into an active foreign policy stance that will be made official at the United Nations General Assembly.
The French presidency has long walked a tightrope in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — voicing support for a two-state solution while avoiding decisive commitments. This announcement marks a departure. Not just in rhetoric, but in execution. France will be the first major Western power to place recognition of Palestine at the centre of its approach to peace in the region. While others speak in abstract tones of long-term solutions, France has drawn a line. Recognition, demilitarisation, and reconstruction — all in one breath.
France’s changing calculus
This move is not the product of sudden emotion. It’s the result of mounting frustration in European capitals over the erosion of any meaningful negotiation framework. For Paris, the decision is a culmination of years of inertia in the so-called peace process, worsened by the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. France appears to be stepping into the vacuum left by Washington’s shifting priorities and Brussels’ perpetual indecision.
Macron’s office has linked the move to wider strategic aims: an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the safe return of all detainees, and a substantial humanitarian corridor. But this is no blank cheque. France wants an end to armed militancy, particularly from Hamas, and has made demilitarisation a central demand. At the same time, it is ready to commit to long-term aid and infrastructure for rebuilding Gaza.
A signal to allies and adversaries alike
There is more to this announcement than recognition. It is a message — one that resonates in Tel Aviv, Washington, and beyond. France is repositioning itself as a credible broker in a theatre where diplomacy has stagnated. The absence of a working framework has allowed violence to define the rhythm of politics in the region. Macron wants to alter that tempo.
The Élysée has also written directly to Palestinian leadership, indicating that recognition comes with expectations: a viable and demilitarised Palestinian state that accepts Israel’s right to exist and contributes to regional security. Whether or not these expectations are realistic is a separate matter. What’s clear is that France is willing to place its credibility behind a stalled cause — and risk the political consequences.
Domestic appetite and global impact
Inside France, the public mood has shifted. Mass mobilisations, particularly among younger demographics, reflect a growing impatience with the status quo in Gaza. Macron’s decision, while controversial in traditional diplomatic circles, plays well with a domestic audience increasingly disillusioned with passive neutrality.
