French President Macron announced that they will recognize Palestine as a state.

The President of France, in an interview with the national press, said, "We must move towards recognition and we will take steps in this direction in the coming months."

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country plans to recognize Palestine as a state in June of this year. Macron made this announcement during a two-day visit to Egypt in an interview with a French television channel on Wednesday. Macron stated, "Our goal is to preside over a conference in June that can lead to 'recognition' along with Saudi Arabia and several other countries." He continued, "I will do this... because I think it will be fair and I also want to be part of a collective dynamic that will ensure that everyone who defends Palestine recognizes Israel, many of whom do not." Macron added that this initiative would allow France to "be clear in its struggle against those who deny Israel's right to exist" and would also reaffirm their commitment to "collective security in the region." France will co-chair a two-day UN conference in New York with Saudi Arabia in June to advocate for a two-state solution following an 18-month war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. However, France's formal recognition of the Palestinian state would signify a significant shift in foreign policy and carries the risk of deteriorating relations with Israel. Currently, nearly 150 countries recognize Palestine as a state. Recently, Ireland, Norway, and Spain from Europe made this decision in May 2024. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns that a state established after the October 7 attack could be viewed as a 'reward' while opposing the two-state solution proposal.