President Emmanuel Macron said France will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, making it the first member of the Group of Seven to take that step. Paris framed the decision as part of a broader push for a two-state solution and said it will convene an international conference in New York aimed at reviving diplomacy and reforming the Palestinian Authority. The announcement triggered an immediate backlash from Israel and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the move a “reward for terror” that risks creating “another Iranian proxy”, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labelled it “reckless” and a setback to peace efforts. The American ambassador in Tel Aviv warned the unilateral action could sideline France from future regional initiatives. French officials rejected those criticisms. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot argued the step “gives Hamas wrong” by bolstering moderate Palestinian actors and insisted it does not contradict Israel’s security. Paris noted that about 140 UN member states already recognise Palestine and said it hopes other Western nations, notably the U.K. and Canada, will follow. Reactions elsewhere were largely supportive. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Spain hailed what Riyadh called an “historic decision”. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the pledge, while Hamas described it as a “positive step”. The move adds diplomatic pressure on Israel amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and comes after Ireland, Norway and Spain extended recognition in 2024.