France Recognizes Palestinian State, US Criticizes Move

The United States, led by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has strongly condemned France's decision to recognize Palestine as an independent state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. Rubio described the move as reckless and accused it of serving Hamas propaganda while undermining peace efforts, calling it a slap in the face to the victims of recent attacks. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee mocked the unilateral recognition with sarcastic remarks, questioning its legitimacy and ridiculing French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also criticized the decision, warning it rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy near Israel. The move by France stands in contrast to the U.S. and most Western allies, who have refrained from recognizing Palestinian statehood unilaterally, fearing repercussions on peace negotiations. Meanwhile, countries like the UK and Canada have expressed conditional support for recognition, contingent on a ceasefire or progress toward peace.