U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France will officially recognize the State of Palestine, calling the move “reckless” and accusing Paris of undermining prospects for peace.

In a letter sent Thursday to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Macron declared that France would formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the United Nations General Assembly in September. He also pledged to rally other nations to follow suit.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the state of Palestine,” Macron wrote. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”

If implemented, France would become the first major Western power to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move likely to embolden other governments that have long expressed frustration with Israel’s policies and the stalled peace process.

The announcement has sparked outrage in Israel and Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move, claiming it “rewards terror” and poses a direct threat to Israel’s existence.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu wrote on X. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed those sentiments, calling the French decision “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism.” He vowed that Israel would not allow the formation of any Palestinian entity that could threaten its security.

Secretary Rubio reinforced Israel’s position, stating, “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.” He added that the United States would oppose any effort to recognize Palestinian statehood through the United Nations.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, hailed Macron’s move as “historic” and said it could help lay the groundwork for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Defending the initiative, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot argued that recognition would strengthen moderates and undermine extremist factions like Hamas. “Hamas has always ruled out a two-state solution,” Barrot said. “By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation.”

Macron’s decision has further deepened the divide between Western allies over the path to peace in the Middle East and could shift momentum in the ongoing global debate over Palestinian statehood.