France has officially recognized the State of Palestine and proposed a UN-mandated international stabilization force for postwar Gaza, a plan likely to gain broad international support but rejected by Israel and the United States. President Emmanuel Macron announced the recognition during a special summit at the United Nations General Assembly, calling for an end to the war and justice for the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
Macron’s announcement was met with cheers and praise from the Palestinian Authority, which hailed it as a historic decision. However, US officials did not attend the session, and Israel dismissed the initiative. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also called for Palestine to become a full UN member, highlighting that this move marks a new beginning.
Meanwhile, Arab and Muslim leaders are set to meet with former US President Donald Trump in New York to discuss their own plans for stabilizing Gaza. France’s recognition follows similar moves by the UK, Canada, Australia, and several smaller European nations, with three-quarters of UN members now recognizing Palestinian statehood.
At a summit co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, discussions focused on reviving a two-state solution, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of such an outcome. Later on Monday, Monaco, Belgium, Andorra, Malta, and Luxembourg also recognized Palestine, expanding international backing.
France Recognizes Palestine

UN Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed Palestinian statehood as a right, condemning both Hamas’s terror attacks and the collective punishment of Palestinians. He also criticized Israeli settlement expansion and annexation plans, warning that these threaten any chance for peace.
The proposed stabilization plan aims to marginalize Hamas by disarming the group and excluding it from governance. The UN force would ensure security in Gaza, support disarmament, and help train a Palestine Authority police force.
The diplomatic developments in New York coincide with intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza City, where dozens of Palestinians were killed amid Israel’s offensive targeting Hamas fighters.
The Arab League has demanded that Hamas relinquish power in Gaza in favor of a newly elected Palestine Authority government responsible for Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, including handing over weapons.
Trump’s upcoming meeting with Arab leaders will be his most direct engagement on Gaza’s future since his second presidential election. While he is expected to criticize global institutions in his UN address, his past actions have shown skepticism toward the Palestinian Authority, imposing sanctions and barring its president Mahmoud Abbas from attending the UN.