Macron's Recognition of Palestinian State Sparks Israel-France Tensions Amid Hamas Conflict

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, aiming to revive the two-state solution and isolate Hamas amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. Macron argues that recognizing Palestinian statehood is essential to provide a political perspective to Palestinians and counter Hamas's agenda, which he describes as focused on destroying Israel and perpetuating violence. This decision places France at odds with the United States, which opposes such recognition, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticizing it as reckless and potentially aiding Hamas propaganda. In response, Macron dismissed the criticism as excessive and emphasized the importance of the recognition process as a precondition for peace and stability. Several other Western allies, including the United Kingdom and Canada, are expected to follow France's lead. Israel is reportedly preparing strong retaliatory actions, such as accelerating West Bank annexations and closing the French consulate in Jerusalem, signaling a significant deterioration in Israel-France relations.