France May Recognize Palestinian State by June, Says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France could formally recognize a Palestinian state as early as June, signaling a potential diplomatic shift with regional implications.

In an interview with broadcaster France 5, Macron linked the move to the prospect of reciprocal recognition of Israel by several Middle Eastern nations.

“We must move toward recognizing the Palestinian state, and in the coming months, we will do so,” Macron said, emphasizing that the decision would not be symbolic. “I’m not doing it to please anyone. I’m doing it because, at some point, it will be the right thing.”

Macron added that he wants France to be part of a broader collective effort — one that could persuade Arab nations to also acknowledge Israel’s statehood, something several have yet to do. As reported by HotNews.ro, Macron hopes this recognition process will create diplomatic momentum.

Regional context and conditions for mutual recognition

Despite recognition of Palestinian statehood by nearly 150 countries globally, most Western powers — including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan — have refrained from taking that step.

At the same time, key regional players such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen continue to withhold recognition of Israel.

Macron’s proposal seeks to break this impasse. “Our objective is that in June, together with Saudi Arabia, we will host a conference where we could finalize a process toward mutual recognition between several countries,” he said.

The idea echoes previous regional normalization efforts, such as the Abraham Accords, but Macron’s approach introduces a simultaneous recognition model — encouraging Arab nations to recognize Israel in exchange for European powers recognizing Palestinian statehood.

France positions itself as a mediator in Middle East diplomacy

With this statement, France positions itself as a key mediator in a highly sensitive geopolitical landscape.

Macron’s comments follow months of escalating tension and growing international pressure to revisit stalled Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

While specific terms or diplomatic roadmaps were not disclosed, Macron’s emphasis on a June timeline suggests France is actively pursuing behind-the-scenes negotiations with both Arab states and Western allies.

The proposed recognition could reshape diplomatic alignments and set the stage for renewed dialogue in a region marked by decades of conflict and deadlock.