President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that France has officially recognized the state of Palestine.
"I declare that today France recognizes the state of Palestine," Macron said at an international conference on Palestine in New York ahead of the start of this week’s U.N. General Assembly.
He emphasized that the recognition represents "the only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace."
Macron said France's recognition "is a defeat for Hamas, just like for all those who ferment antisemitism, nurture anti-Zionist obsessions, and who want the destruction of the state of Israel."
He thanked other nations that also recently announced recognition, including Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and San Marino.
Recognition "paves the way for useful negotiations, (and is) useful for Israelis and Palestinians" working toward "a peace and security plan for all," Macron added.
The conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, follows up on a similar gathering in July.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel's military operations in Gaza have killed over 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza, on Monday called for a state of Palestine to be admitted to the United Nations after the French-led summit on recognition.
"This conference marks a milestone, but it's not the end of the road. It's only the beginning," Sanchez said. "The state of Palestine must be a member."
