France’s Recognition of Palestine Sparks Global Debate Amid UN Report on Corporate Profiteering

France’s Recognition of Palestine Sparks Global Debate Amid UN Report on Corporate Profiteering

With Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsening—reports indicate 900,000 children face hunger and 70,000 show signs of malnutrition—the global community remains divided on how to address the conflict.

By RMN News Service

Paris, July 25, 2025 – French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will formally recognize Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, marking a significant shift in European diplomacy and igniting a firestorm of international reactions. The decision, described as a commitment to a “just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” comes amid growing global outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a scathing UN report exposing corporate profiteering in Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

Macron’s announcement, made via a post on X and a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, emphasizes the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages held by Hamas, and massive humanitarian aid to alleviate civilian suffering. He also pledged to support the demilitarization of Hamas and the consolidation of the Palestinian Authority across Palestinian territories. The move positions France as the first G7 nation to recognize Palestinian statehood, setting it apart from allies like the United States, which condemned the decision as “reckless” through Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

[ 🔊 France’s Historic Palestine Recognition: Audio Analysis ]

The Palestinian Authority welcomed the announcement, with Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh expressing gratitude for France’s support of Palestinian self-determination. Hamas called it a “positive step” and urged other nations to follow suit, while Saudi Arabia hailed it as a “historic decision.” However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders strongly condemned the move, arguing it rewards terrorism and risks creating an “Iranian proxy” state. Israeli cabinet ministers and opposition figures, including Amir Ohana and Naftali Bennett, labeled the decision a “moral collapse” and a “prize for terror” following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

The announcement coincides with a UN report by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, which accuses over 60 multinational corporations, including U.S. tech giants like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon, of profiting from Israel’s “economy of occupation” and ongoing war in Gaza. The report, presented to the Human Rights Council, details how these companies, spanning sectors like arms, technology, and finance, have contributed to Palestinian displacement and what Albanese describes as genocide. It notes a 213% surge in the Tel Aviv stock exchange since October 2023, amassing $225.7 billion in market gains, and calls for accountability to end corporate complicity in human rights violations.

Global reactions are mixed. Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris praised France’s decision as a step toward a two-state solution, while the UK’s Keir Starmer announced emergency talks with France and Germany to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Critics, like Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment, dismissed the recognition as “virtue signaling” with little practical impact on Palestinians’ plight. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly’s demand for Israel to end its unlawful presence in Palestinian territories by September 2025, following an International Court of Justice ruling, adds further pressure.

As France prepares to co-chair a UN conference with Saudi Arabia in September to discuss a two-state solution, the recognition has intensified debates over international law, corporate responsibility, and the path to peace in the Middle East. With Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsening—reports indicate 900,000 children face hunger and 70,000 show signs of malnutrition—the global community remains divided on how to address the conflict.