Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries have praised France’s decision to recognize Palestine as an independent state, calling it a historic step and urging other nations to follow suit.
On Friday, the Saudi foreign ministry released a statement commending French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement, which makes France the first G7 country to formally commit to recognizing a Palestinian state. The ministry described the move as reaffirming the global consensus on the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and statehood.
“The kingdom commends this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community’s consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to establish their independent state,” the statement read. It also called on countries that have not yet recognized Palestine to “take similar positive steps.”
President Macron had announced on Thursday that France would officially recognize the State of Palestine at a United Nations meeting scheduled for September. The declaration aligns France with several other European Union nations that have taken similar steps since the escalation of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Qatar, which has been playing a key mediation role in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, also welcomed the move. Qatar’s foreign ministry described France’s decision as "significant support for the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people." It added that the move could help advance efforts for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region.
Kuwait joined the chorus of approval, calling the French decision a “significant step” toward realizing peace and justice for Palestinians. Similarly, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman, expressed collective support. Notably, the UAE and Bahrain, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, also praised the French announcement.
In a related development, France and Saudi Arabia are expected to co-chair a ministerial-level meeting later this month aimed at promoting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
France’s move signals a shift in international diplomacy as more countries push for Palestinian recognition amid ongoing violence in Gaza and rising tensions in the Middle East.
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