Israel / Palestinian Territories – Announcement of the recognition of Palestine (July 25, 2025)
On July 24, France’s Consul General in Jerusalem conveyed a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron to the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in response to Mr. Abbas’s letter of July 9. In line with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, France will recognize the State of Palestine this September.
As the President and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs both noted, this decision reaffirms France’s commitment to the implementation of the two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. It is the only path that can address the legitimate aspirations of both the Israelis and the Palestinians and establish a lasting peace in the Middle East. By virtue of this decision, France reaffirms the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination in the face of facts on the ground. It recognizes and hails the courageous commitments taken by the Palestinian Authority, which has come out strongly in favor of the two-State solution and peace, strongly condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, called for the release of the hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from the governance of Gaza, pledged to combat hate speech and radicalization and to overhaul its governance – commitments for which we will hold it accountable. In granting this recognition, France acknowledges the Palestinian actors who have chosen dialogue and peace over those such as Hamas, in particular, who have chosen war and terrorism.
This strong act of diplomacy is also a contribution to the momentum that is building around the reformulation of a political horizon, one that is necessary in order to make the ceasefire – one engaging the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt – a concrete and permanent reality. It must include the unconditional release of all the hostages, a massive and unhindered influx of humanitarian aid, and the long-term stabilization of the Gaza Strip. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs will reaffirm our commitment at the conference on the implementation of the two-state solution, which will be held in New York on July 28-29 and will be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. We encourage our partners to become part of this momentum.
The recognition process is part of a comprehensive political dynamic launched by the conference, which must facilitate recognition of the State of Palestine, the normalization of relations with Israel, regional integration, a reform of Palestinian governance and the implementation of collective security guarantees.