United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state as “reckless”, in a sharp reaction that underscores widening international divisions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Macron announced on Thursday that France would formally recognise the state of Palestine during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. He shared the news in a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, pledging to press other countries to follow France’s lead.
“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,” Macron wrote. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
France, which has Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim populations, would be the first major Western power to take such a step — a move that may galvanise similar recognitions by smaller nations that have long been critical of Israel.
However, the announcement was met with fury in Israel and Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the decision, saying it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.” He wrote on X: “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also criticised the plan, calling it “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism.” He added that Israel would not permit the creation of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security [and] endanger our existence.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Israel’s concerns, saying Washington “strongly rejects [Macron’s] plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly.” In a post on X, he said, “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”
In contrast, Saudi Arabia praised Macron’s announcement, calling it a “historic” step toward justice for the Palestinian people and lasting peace in the region.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot defended the plan, insisting that it ran counter to the objectives of Hamas. “Hamas has always ruled out a two-state solution. By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation,” he wrote on X.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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