France's President Macron announced that France will formally recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September. This decision has drawn strong criticism from the US and Israel, who view it as supporting Hamas and undermining peace efforts. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called it a betrayal, while US Secretary of State Rubio deemed it reckless. Conversely, several European and Arab leaders praised the move, seeing it as a step towards a two-state solution and upholding Palestinian rights.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.