France recognizes State of Palestine, Macron declares at UN

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a high-profile meeting at the United Nations aimed at galvanizing support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on September 22, 2025, at UN headquarters. ANGELINA KATSANIS / AP

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, September 22, recognized a Palestinian state, leading a UN summit that already spurred other Western governments to take the landmark step that has infuriated Israel. "The time for peace has come, as we are just moments away from no longer being able to seize it," Macron told the summit, which concluded late Monday. "The time has come to free the 48 hostages held by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombings of Gaza, the massacres and the displacement."

Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, told the summit, which was called by France and Saudi Arabia, that all countries should follow suit and recognize a Palestinian state. Australia, Britain, Canada and Portugal also took the largely symbolic step of recognition on the eve of the summit, piling pressure on Israel as it intensifies its retaliatory war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Macron earlier said he would make the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel a precondition for opening a French embassy to the Palestinian state.

Read more Subscribers only Macron's full speech on France's recognition of the State of Palestine

Israel has repeatedly warned France against recognizing a Palestinian state, with far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government mulling annexation of the West Bank to make any state impossible. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, warned, "We will take action."

Read more Subscribers only Macron's slow shift toward recognizing the State of Palestine

"It's easier to come here and give speeches, take pictures, feel like they are doing something. But they are not promoting peace. They are supporting terrorism," he told reporters.

The United States, Israel's crucial diplomatic and military supporter, had unsuccessfully urged its allies to drop the recognition plans, with President Donald Trump saying that a state can only come through negotiations.

Read more Subscribers only How Israel tried to halt the wave of recognition of the State of Palestine

"Frankly, he believes it's a reward to Hamas," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said of recognizing a Palestinian state. "So he believes these decisions are just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies," she told reporters in Washington.

Germany, while more critical than Washington of Israel's actions in Gaza, also broke with France and Britain and will not recognize a Palestinian state. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that "a negotiated two-state solution is the path that can allow Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security and dignity."

Read more Subscribers only Merz's notable absence from the UN General Assembly

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that "statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward," which appeared to push back against the Israeli government.

More than 140 world leaders will descend on New York, except for Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, who was denied a visa by the US authorities, forcing him to attend virtually. Addressing the meeting by video, he again condemned the "killing and detention of civilians, including Hamas' actions on October 7, 2023."

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He said the Palestinian Authority is establishing a new social welfare system after abolishing payments to the families of Palestinians killed or imprisoned by Israel, a decision taken months ago that had been a longstanding demand from Israel and the US. Addressing the Israeli people, he said, "Enough violence and war," and he wished Jews around the world a happy new year on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah.

Israel said it would skip an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Gaza Tuesday because of the Jewish New Year, calling the timing "regrettable."

Netanyahu reiterated Sunday his position that there would be no Palestinian state and vowed to accelerate the creation of new settlements. Two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, went further, calling for the annexation of the West Bank.

Read more Subscribers only In the West Bank, Israel shuts down any prospect of a Palestinian state

The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to official data. Israeli military operations since then have killed 65,062 Palestinians, mostly civilians, says the Hamas-run health ministry, figures the UN considers reliable.