Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will recognize Palestine as a state, amid growing global outrage over the starving people in Gaza.

Macron stated in a post on X that he will formalize the decision at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

"The urgent need today is to end the war in Gaza and save the civilian population," the French president declared.

Macron offered his support to Israel after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and frequently speaks out against antisemitism, but he has grown increasingly frustrated with Israel's war in Gaza, especially in recent months.

France is the largest and most powerful European country to recognize Palestine. More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including more than a dozen in Europe. It has the largest Jewish population in Europe and the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.