France and 14 other Western nations called on countries worldwide to move to recognize a Palestinian state, France’s top diplomat said Wednesday.
The foreign ministers of 15 countries late Tuesday issued a joint statement following a conference in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians.
“In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X.
Today, in partnership with my friend, French Foreign Minister @jnbarrot, I chaired the International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Issue and Implementation of the Two-State Solution. This aims to end the occupation, empower the Palestinian people to…
— فيصل بن فرحان (@FaisalbinFarhan) July 28, 2025
President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognize Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States.
France is hoping to build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state.
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognize the State of Palestine in September unless ‘Israel’ takes various “substantive steps,” including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
My statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and our plan for peace including the recognition of a Palestinian State. pic.twitter.com/aMUCNwJb9z
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 29, 2025
Starmer’s move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so.
In the statement, 15 nations including Spain, Norway, and Finland affirmed their “unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution.”
Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognized the Palestinian state expressed “the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries” to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Seventeen countries plus the European Union and Arab League during the conference joined calls for Hamas Palestinian resistance to disarm and end its rule of Gaza.
UK Rejects Criticism
Later on Wednesday, UK rejected criticism that “it is rewarding Hamas” by laying out plans to recognize a Palestinian state.
Asked about that criticism, British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said it is not the right way to characterize Britain’s plan.
“This is not a reward for Hamas. Hamas is a vile terrorist organization that has committed appalling atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It’s about those children that we see in Gaza who are starving to death,” she told LBC radio.
“We’ve got to ratchet up pressure on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions to get aid back into Gaza.”
Source: Agencies
