France and 14 countries call for recognition of Palestinian statehood ahead of UNGA

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, alongside counterparts from 14 other nations, has issued a joint call urging more countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues and the UN General Assembly approaches.:

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called on more countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, joining 14 other countries in a collective statement at a United Nations conference in New York. “In New York with 14 other countries, France launches a collective call: We express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us,” Barrot posted on X, sharing the joint statement.

The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Spain.

In the statement, the ministers condemned the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages, and expressed strong support for a two-state solution in the Middle East. They also urged other countries to recognize Palestinian statehood ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September and voiced “grave concern” about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza as the conflict continues.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that France will recognize Palestine as a state at the UNGA, drawing sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the move “rewards terror,” and from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called the decision “reckless.”

A French diplomatic official responded to the criticism, arguing that the move could incentivize key Arab and Muslim partners to take steps toward isolating Hamas, including supporting the group’s disarmament and exclusion from future Palestinian governance, in exchange for statehood recognition.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will recognize Palestinian statehood unless Israel takes “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza.

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