He plans to announce recognition of Palestine at June peace summit
President Emmanuel Macron announced the possible move during a visit to Cairo, where he met with the leaders of Egypt and Jordan. The declaration is expected to be made in June at an international conference in New York co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
«Our goal is to complete a process of mutual recognition involving several parties», Macron said. «This is not about pleasing anybody. I want to be part of a collective effort — one that allows those who support Palestine, in turn, to recognize Israel, which many are still unwilling to do».
The statement was widely interpreted as a reference to Iran, a country that denies Israel’s right to exist and is seen as a major regional threat. How Macron hopes to engage Tehran in such a process remains a far-fetched scenario — one that he himself might call a nightmare.
Last year, Macron had already declared that there were «no taboos» regarding mutual recognition, but these words led to little action. Now a breakthrough seems more likely. First, talks between Israel and the Palestinians are at a standstill. Second, Donald Trump has made a number of provocative proposals — from settling the West Bank to the outright annexation of Gaza. For Macron, this is an opportunity to seize the diplomatic initiative.
Trump is planning a visit to Saudi Arabia, while Washington will host a delegation of Arab states. In the U.S., opposition to an «Arab peace plan» seems to be softening.
In the first stage, Macron hopes to bring on board countries that have not yet recognized Israel — Qatar, Algeria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia — and encourage them to take the first step. The next step in his plan is to remove Hamas from governing Gaza, with a proposed six-month transition period. Mahmoud Abbas, now 90, is aware that a successor will be needed, but no names have been put forward.
Egypt and Jordan supported the initiative and even organized a phone call to Trump directly from Cairo. Since the U.S. is Israel’s main ally and sponsor, even the boldest ideas will eventually hit a wall in Washington.
Egypt has lost some $7 billion to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and it’s in no position to challenge the U.S. — especially given the $2.1 billion in American aid it receives annually. President el-Sisi has proposed his own Palestinian reconstruction plan to the Arab states. No one in the region is interested in Trump’s idea of turning Gaza into an «Arab Riviera». Macron is also strongly opposed to any forced transfer of Palestinians, calling it «a violation of international law».
Meanwhile, Hamas shows no signs of disarming or sending its leaders into honorary exile — both key elements of Macron’s broader roadmap.
«Recognition alone won’t change much», says historian Frédérique Schillo. “Palestine has been a member of the ICC and UNESCO since 2015. It could become a full member of the UN, but that would require a recommendation from the Security Council and approval by the General Assembly. France may support such resolutions, but what happens if these resolutions later go against French interests? And let’s not forget that the US already vetoed a similar move in April 2024.
The recognition would be largely symbolic. Spain recognized Palestine last May with little consequence. If France follows suit, it could prompt other European nations to reevaluate their stance, giving Palestine additional leverage at the negotiating table.
«Recognition doesn’t determine whether a state fulfills its obligations», says Bashar Haidar, a professor and expert on the Arab world. «But it does affect rights. The longer the delay, the more Israeli settlements expand in the West Bank».
Of the 193 UN member states, 147 have recognized Palestine. But only Sweden, Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia have tried to pressure Israel directly — and with little effect. In fact, relations between these countries and Israel worsened as Tel Aviv accused them of «rewarding terrorism».
«Recognizing Palestine at this time is deeply irresponsible», said Israeli Ambassador to France Joshua Zarka. «It legitimizes the idea of a state built without a peace agreement. First they have to disarm and release all the hostages. Then maybe we can talk. Right now, Palestinian children are being taught to kill Jews. Peace is a generational issue».
Riyadh and the Gulf states are now urging Washington not to obstruct Macron’s planned June announcement. For Trump, this could mean rethinking his peace plan for Gaza — something he’s reluctant to do. However, he may be hesitant to alienate the Saudis, whose involvement in the peace process remains critical to his broader strategy.
Still, there’s no certainty that Macron will go through with recognition if key Arab states — especially Saudi Arabia — refuse to reciprocate by recognizing Israel. Without that, the entire concept of «mutual recognition» could collapse.