France says UN recognition of Palestinian state is a blow to Hamas, not a gift

PARIS — France argues that United Nations recognition of a Palestinian state would not reward Hamas but would help marginalize the group and revive the prospects of a two-state solution, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told Fox News Digital at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Pascal Confavereux, spokesman for France’s Foreign Ministry, described the France- and Saudi Arabia-led package as a comprehensive approach that pairs recognition of Palestinian statehood with concrete steps aimed at strengthening governance and regional stability. The plan includes condemnation of the Oct. 7 attacks, a bar on Hamas from a future Palestinian government, governance reforms by the Palestinian Authority, and planning for reconstruction and regional integration. He noted that the Declaration of New York, formally adopted at the General Assembly this month, had broad international backing, with 142 states supporting it.

Confavereux linked the move to a broader set of regional realignments championed under the original Trump administration, arguing that the agreement would mimic the logic of the Abraham Accords by reassuring neighboring Arab states and tying them more closely to Israel. Trump, speaking at the Assembly, condemned the French-Saudi plan as rewarding Hamas. The spokesperson insisted the measure would actually save the two-state solution by removing Hamas from the governing equation and by creating reform in the Palestinian Authority. Hamas does not want two states; Hamas wants from the river to the sea, Confavereux said. He framed the initiative as a path to a durable peace rather than a concession to violence.

The package is designed to advance a path to reconstruction and regional integration, with governance reforms intended to improve transparency and accountability within the Palestinian Authority and to secure long-term stability in the region. French officials framed the initiative as a mechanism to keep diplomacy moving in a difficult climate, rather than a reward for violence. In discussing the broader strategy, Confavereux drew a line to the controversial question of how international normalization could unfold in a way that supports a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel, in a manner consistent with widely backed international resolutions.

Asked about critics who argue that Macron’s international activism is a bid to secure a domestic political legacy amid low approval ratings, the spokesman declined to comment on internal French politics. He underscored the breadth of international support for the New York Declaration, noting that the document was the product of a long, concerted effort by France and Saudi Arabia that culminated in broad multilateral backing. It was a long effort, but it shows there is an international majority determined to keep the two-state solution alive, he said. France’s Macron has publicly signaled support for recognizing a Palestinian state as part of the broader diplomatic approach, a stance that has drawn domestic scrutiny but remained central to Paris’s UN strategy.

As the United Nations General Assembly process continued, officials stressed that the plan remains anchored in a broader framework that seeks to reduce violence, promote governance reforms, and lay groundwork for reconstruction in Gaza and the West Bank, while preserving the prospect of a negotiated settlement with Israel. The plan’s backers argue that credible recognition, coupled with clear conditions and reforms, could normalize ties with some Arab neighbors and create incentives for long-term peace.

With the United Nations continuing its deliberations, France’s delegation and its Saudi-led partners emphasized that the push reflects a collective international effort to salvage the two-state framework, even as the region remains unsettled and evolving. The organizers argued that by combining recognition with governance reforms, condemnations of violence, and a roadmap for reconstruction, the plan aims to prevent Hamas from consolidating influence while fostering a more stable political environment that could support future negotiations.

France’s leadership in this initiative has drawn attention to a broader debate about how the international community should engage with Palestinian statehood, security, and governance in the wake of ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. The emphasis, officials say, is on creating tangible, verifiable steps that reinforce a viable pathway to peace and stability in the region. As the UN continues to weigh responses and potential follow-on actions, the French-Saudi approach remains a focal point of international diplomacy, reflecting a long-standing objective to maintain pressure on violence and to promote state-building as a path to a durable settlement.

France’s public messaging also highlighted the importance of maintaining unity among supporters of the two-state solution, while recognizing the need for pragmatic steps that could enable growth, governance reforms, and regional normalization that secures a broader peace in the Middle East. The international community’s response to the New York Declaration, and the ongoing discussions at the UN, will continue to shape the contours of the diplomacy surrounding Palestinian statehood and regional ties in the months ahead.

Near the end of the week, the UN General Assembly’s momentum on this issue remained a touchstone for France’s broader foreign policy priorities, underscoring Paris’s willingness to push for a negotiated settlement that would sustain both Palestinian statehood and Israel’s security in a region long characterized by volatility. The discussions continued to evolve as countries weighed the implications of recognition, governance reforms, and regional normalization in a complex, dynamic geopolitical landscape.