France officially recognized the State of Palestine on September 22, 2025, at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York — becoming the first G7 power to take this historic step. Since 2023, it has committed more than 300 million euros in humanitarian aid for Gaza and the West Bank, delivered more than 1,500 tonnes of food and medicine, and elevated Palestinian representation in Paris to embassy status. Yet this pioneering diplomatic stance is the result of a long evolution: for decades, France oscillated between support for the two-state solution and diplomatic caution toward Israel. A look back at a complex, fundamental, and ever-evolving relationship.
To understand which other countries have recognized the State of Palestine, see our article on which countries support Palestine. And for the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, read our report on the Nakba: history, meaning and memory of a people.
What is the history of relations between France and Palestine?
The relationship between France and the Palestinian cause reached its turning point in 1967. Until then, Paris was one of Israel's main arms suppliers — the Mirages sold to the IDF had played a decisive role in Israel's lightning victory in June 1967. But it was precisely this war that changed everything. After the Six-Day War, General de Gaulle firmly condemned Israeli aggression and its consequences. On June 2, 1967, an arms embargo on Israel was decreed. On June 15, the Council of Ministers issued a communiqué condemning Israel for initiating hostilities. On November 22, 1967, France supported UN Security Council Resolution 242, which demanded Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories. On November 27, 1967, at a historic press conference, De Gaulle described the Israelis as "an elite people, sure of itself and domineering" — a phrase that caused scandal but marked a lasting symbolic break with the pre-1967 Franco-Israeli alliance.
This break inaugurated what would be called France's "Arab policy" — a diplomacy that sought to balance its relations with the Arab world and Israel, positioning itself as an intermediary rather than an exclusive partisan. His successors, from Pompidou to Chirac, maintained and deepened this approach. In October 1974, France voted in favor of the recognition of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) as the main representative of the Palestinian people at the UN. In 1988, during the first Intifada, Paris established official contacts with Yasser Arafat's PLO. In 1993, at the signing of the Oslo Accords, France played a role of political support and committed to financing the nascent Palestinian institutions.
The 2000s and 2010s were marked by a more hesitant position. Jacques Chirac distinguished himself with his visit to Ramallah in 1996 and his open support for Yasser Arafat, but also by tensions with Israel during his visit to Jerusalem where he confronted Israeli security — "Do you want me to go back to Paris? That is a provocation!" — a scene that became iconic. Nicolas Sarkozy adopted a markedly more pro-Israeli stance. François Hollande attempted to revive negotiations without success. In 2012, France voted in favor of Palestine's non-member observer state status at the UN. In 2014, the French Parliament voted in favor of recognizing the State of Palestine — a non-binding resolution for the government, but one that reflected the profound shift in public opinion and among elected officials. In 2017, Macron organized the Paris Peace Conference, which reaffirmed the centrality of the two-state solution, bringing together 70 countries and international organizations.
Palestine is today the primary beneficiary of French budgetary aid in the world — a figure that illustrates the depth of French commitment well beyond diplomatic declarations.
How did France officially recognize the State of Palestine in 2025?
It was at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, on September 22, 2025 in New York, that Emmanuel Macron delivered the historic words from the UN podium: "France recognizes the State of Palestine." This announcement, long prepared and confirmed by Macron himself in a letter to President Mahmoud Abbas on July 24, 2025, came in a context of growing international pressure after twenty-three months of war in Gaza.
The French recognition is part of a broader diplomatic initiative: France co-chairs with Saudi Arabia a high-level international conference on the two-state solution, which leads to the Declaration of New York — a roadmap for a political settlement of the conflict, explicitly excluding Hamas from any role in Gaza. According to the official website of the French Embassy, "the commitments obtained from the Palestinian Authority allowed France to bring along states that had not yet recognized the State of Palestine: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg."
The French recognition immediately triggered a reaction from Israel, which recalled its ambassador to Paris. But its diplomatic effects are considerable: a momentum has been created by France, and the Declaration of New York of September 12 affirms the "essential and indispensable" nature of the recognition of the Palestinian State. Palestinian representation in Paris was subsequently elevated to embassy status — a direct and logical consequence of the official recognition, profoundly transforming bilateral relations between Paris and Ramallah.
What is French humanitarian aid to Palestine?
France is one of the main donors of Palestinian humanitarian aid. Before October 2023, it already contributed 20 million euros per year to UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees), maintaining this contribution even during turbulent periods. It also contributed 16 million euros per year in direct budgetary aid to the Palestinian Authority, and approximately 12 million euros per year through the French Development Agency (AFD) for water, sanitation and local development projects.
Since October 7, 2023, France's humanitarian commitment has been massively amplified. France contributed more than 300 million euros to the humanitarian response directed toward the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank. This support was initiated by the President of the Republic at the International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population of Gaza organized in Paris on November 9, 2023. In total, the Crisis and Support Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered more than 1,500 tonnes of aid for Palestinian populations — food against malnutrition, shelter for displaced persons, medicines and medical equipment.
The French Institute of Gaza also deserves mention: it is the only foreign cultural center present in the Gaza Strip, which continues its professional training work for the population. A French high school was opened in Ramallah in 2016. The AFD financed projects that allowed 800,000 people to gain access to drinking water or to benefit from an improvement in the quality of the drinking water service.
What is the mobilization of French civil society for Palestine?
Since October 2023, France has seen one of the most intense solidarity movements with Palestine in its history. Demonstrations of several tens of thousands of people took place in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and in dozens of other cities. On October 19, 2023, despite the prefectural ban, thousands of people defied the authorities to gather at Place de la République in Paris. The movement was partially repressed in France — with bans on demonstrations in the name of public order — in what was described as "one of the most severe repressions in Europe" by civil liberties organizations. This repression did not extinguish the mobilization: on the contrary, it nurtured a new generation of activists.
These gatherings were marked by a new generation of activists — younger, more racially diverse, less attached to traditional parties — driven by the urgency of the situation in Gaza. Historic organizations such as the Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS), the Union juive française pour la paix (UJFP) and the Collectif national pour une paix juste et durable entre Palestiniens et Israéliens (CNPJD) saw their ranks swell and renew.
The most emblematic figure of this mobilization is Rima Hassan. Born stateless in the refugee camp of Neirab, near Aleppo, in Syria, she arrived in France at the age of 10 and obtained French nationality in 2010. A graduate in international public law from the Sorbonne, she founded in 2019 the Observatoire des camps de réfugiés (Refugee Camp Observatory). In 2023, she created the collective Action Palestine France and joined La France Insoumise for the European elections. On June 9, 2024, she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament — the first Palestinian voice to sit in the European Parliament. Since then, she has campaigned for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, participated in the Freedom Flotilla for Gaza in June 2025, and has been subject to 16 judicial proceedings in France for her positions. To learn more about her journey, read our article Who is Rima Hassan?
Beyond Rima Hassan, many French artists and public figures have taken a stance. Angèle — the French-speaking Belgian singer — was the headliner of the Voices for Gaza concert at La Cigale in June 2024. Kery James, a figure of engaged French rap, showed his support for Gaza. Rapper Médine co-organized solidarity events. The Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS), founded in 2001, coordinates the action of dozens of local associations and trade unions. To discover all the committed personalities, read our Top 25 pro-Palestinian personalities.
What is the Palestinian diaspora in France?
France is home to one of the largest Arab communities in Western Europe. The Palestinian diaspora in France comes from several waves of migration — refugees from 1948 (the Nakba) who had transited through Lebanon, Jordan or Syria, then subsequent generations who arrived in the 1970s and 1980s fleeing wars in Lebanon and Jordan, and finally more recent arrivals linked to the 2011–2015 crises in Syria. This community is present primarily in Île-de-France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, in the North and in the Lyon region.
It maintains strong cultural, economic and political ties with Palestine. Keffiyehs, Palestinian flags and watermelons — a symbol of resistance — are omnipresent at French demonstrations since October 2023. To understand the significance of these symbols, read our article on the Palestinian keffiyeh: history, symbolism and meaning.
How to act for Palestine from France?
Demonstrating, supporting NGOs (AFPS, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNRWA), buying Palestinian products, writing to your elected representatives — the gestures are numerous. Boutique Palestine delivers to metropolitan France in 5 to 7 business days, with free shipping. Wear our France Palestine Pins, an authentic Palestinian keffiyeh, display a Palestinian flag, wear our France x Palestine World Cup 2026 jersey — every visible gesture helps keep the Palestinian cause in the public space. For a complete guide to all possible actions, read how to help Palestine every day. 🇵🇸🇫🇷
Sources
— France Diplomatie, France remains mobilized for Palestine, June 2026.
— French Embassy, Recognition of the State of Palestine by France, September 2025.
— France 24, Recognition of Palestine in 2025: a diplomatic victory — what next?, December 2025.
— Revolution Africaine, France elevates its diplomatic representation to embassy status, March 2026.
— Centre Étudiant pour la Recherche Stratégique / Sciences Po, Changes in French diplomacy towards the Question of Palestine, 2025.
Your frequently asked questions about France-Palestine relations
When did France recognize the State of Palestine?
France officially recognized the State of Palestine on September 22, 2025, at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. It was Emmanuel Macron who made this announcement from the UN podium, co-chairing with Saudi Arabia an international conference on the two-state solution. France thus became the first G7 power to officially recognize the State of Palestine.
How much has France contributed in humanitarian aid to Palestine?
Since 2023, France has contributed more than 300 million euros in humanitarian aid for the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank, according to France Diplomatie. Before October 2023, it already contributed 20 million euros per year to UNRWA and paid 16 million euros in direct budgetary aid to the Palestinian Authority.
Is there a Palestinian embassy in France?
Yes. Since the official recognition in September 2025, Palestinian representation in Paris has been elevated to embassy status. This is a direct consequence of France's recognition of the State of Palestine.
What is France's historical position on Palestine?
France has supported the two-state solution since the Gaullist turning point of 1967 — when De Gaulle condemned the Israeli offensive, voted for Resolution 242 and imposed an arms embargo. In 1974, it supported the admission of the PLO to the UN. In 2014, Parliament voted for the recognition of Palestine (non-binding resolution). In 2025, the official recognition was the culmination of this long diplomatic evolution.
Does Boutique Palestine deliver to France?
Yes, Boutique Palestine delivers to metropolitan France in 5 to 7 business days, with free shipping. Keffiyehs, flags, jewelry, jerseys and Palestinian accessories are available throughout France.