The United States on Thursday strongly opposed France’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations general assembly in September.US secretary of state Marco Rubio disapproved France’s decision calling it ‘Hamas propaganda’ and a setback for peace efforts in Middle East.Rubio posted on X, “The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier announced the decision to formally recognise Palestine during the September UN session. Macron took to X to announce the decision: “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.”France has long supported a two-state solution but has stopped short of formal recognition until now. Macron confirmed that France backs a Palestinian state without Hamas, and also reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to peace and security.Macron said he hoped the move would help generate a “collective dynamic” that would encourage Arab states to also recognise Israel. His announcement follows similar recognition from Ireland, Spain, Norway and Slovenia.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Macron’s decision “a grave mistake”. He criticised the French president for allegedly ignoring the threat posed by Hamas and other armed groups. “Israel will not accept moral lectures about statehood from countries that reject independence in their own territories,” Netanyahu said.France’s announcement comes amid the collapse of Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha. The United States, alongside Israel, withdrew from negotiations this week after failing to make progress. US special envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not “acting in good faith” and said, “Washington would now consider alternative options”.He added, “Hamas’s response clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.” Witkoff confirmed the US team was returning home and said other routes would be explored to bring hostages back and stabilise Gaza.The ceasefire talks, facilitated by Qatar, were aimed at halting the ongoing conflict and securing the release of Israeli hostages. But Hamas’s latest proposal, which included changes to aid delivery routes, military withdrawal zones and conditions for a permanent ceasefire, was not accepted by Israel. Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the deadlock and warned against misinterpreting Israel’s desire for a deal as weakness.“We are working to reach another deal for the release of our hostages,” he said. “But if Hamas interprets our willingness to reach a deal as a weakness, as an opportunity to dictate surrender terms that would endanger the State of Israel, it is gravely mistaken.”International concern continues to grow over Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. The world health organization has warned of “man-made” famine conditions, with over two million Palestinians facing food and aid shortages. France blamed Israel’s blockade for the crisis, a claim that Israel rejected, accusing Hamas of obstructing aid distribution.Relief groups say they face huge challenges due to limited Israeli permissions and ongoing fighting. Meanwhile, voices on the ground are urging an end to the bloodshed. More than 140 countries already recognise Palestine, and France’s recognition would mark one of the most high-profile endorsements yet. The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,219 people. It has continued for 21 months. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in Israeli strikes.
