Move stirs global response as Macron breaks G7 ranks; Israel and US condemn recognition bid amid Gaza war…reports Asian Lite News
Saudi Arabia has welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to officially recognise the State of Palestine during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September — a diplomatic move that has triggered both praise and outrage across the international spectrum.
In a statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Friday, the Kingdom lauded Macron’s announcement as a “historic decision” and reaffirmed its support for Palestinian self-determination.
“The Kingdom commends this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community’s consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement said. It also urged other nations that have yet to recognise Palestinian statehood to follow France’s lead, and called for the full implementation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Macron made the announcement on Thursday evening, stating on social media: “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.” He confirmed that the formal recognition would be made at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
France will become the first of the G7 countries — which includes the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan — to officially recognise Palestine, marking a significant shift in the diplomatic landscape.
In a formal letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Macron described the move as a necessary step toward a viable two-state solution and regional peace. He emphasised that the goal was to ensure a demilitarised Palestinian state that recognises Israel and contributes to the security of the entire Middle East.
Macron’s announcement comes amid mounting global outrage over Israel’s continued military assault on Gaza, which has killed thousands and displaced millions. International rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide, and the UN recently reported that at least 875 people were killed near Israeli-designated aid sites in Gaza over the past six weeks alone.
Meanwhile, peace talks aimed at securing a ceasefire and exchanging hostages appear to have collapsed. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump recalled his negotiators from ongoing talks in Qatar, with special envoy Steve Witkoff citing a lack of progress. Hamas responded with surprise and reiterated its willingness to resume negotiations.
While Macron’s pledge drew praise from many Arab and developing nations, it provoked sharp criticism from Israel and its staunchest ally, the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the French President, accusing him of rewarding terrorism in the wake of the October 7 attacks, which Israel blames on Hamas. “Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” Netanyahu posted on social media. “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel.”
Echoing Netanyahu’s outrage, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called Macron’s decision “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism.” He accused the French leader of encouraging Hamas, “who carried out the most horrific massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” and vowed that Israel would block any move to establish a Palestinian entity.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also attacked the decision, saying Macron had “evaporated” all the conditions he had once set for recognising Palestinian statehood. “All that remains is the illusionary state he presumes to establish,” Sa’ar said.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a strong rebuke, calling the French plan “reckless.” “This only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace,” Rubio posted on X, formerly Twitter. “It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7.”
Despite the backlash, Macron has remained firm. “The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and bring relief to the civilian population,” he said, reiterating France’s commitment to humanitarian aid and a peaceful resolution.
The move also follows France’s earlier joint effort with Saudi Arabia to host an international conference on Palestine in New York, originally scheduled for June but delayed under pressure from Washington. That conference is now expected to take place by the end of July and may serve as a precursor to formal UN recognition.
As of now, 142 countries already recognise the State of Palestine. France’s decision — given its geopolitical influence — may further tip the diplomatic balance, emboldening other Western nations to reassess their positions.
