News : France24

Today

West embraces 'democratic Palestine alongside Israel, to bring stability & security to both peoples'

In a historic first, several major Western states are now formally recognizing a Palestinian state at what Dr. Julie Norman describes as a "crucial moment," one in which symbolism and strategy are increasingly intertwined. An Associate Professor of Polit

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Hope and fear in the occupied West Bank as Palestine gains recognition

In the occupied West Bank and Gaza, international recognition of Palestine has sparked a mix of hope and caution, as FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent explains. On a diplomatic level, the move is seen as a significant gesture—a symbolic measure that cou

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Israel calls Palestine recognition 'absurd' and continues its expansion in the West Bank

On 21 September 2025, the UK, Australia, Canada, Portugal, and France officially recognised the State of Palestine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move as an 'absurd prize for terrorism' and approved the E1 West Bank settlement p

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France set to recognise Palestine at UN summit

France is set to recognise a Palestinian state on Monday at the UN, following the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal. Macron said recognition is not conditional on hostage releases, though freedom is required before opening a Palestinian embassy. The mo

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What exactly is the state of Palestine?

🇵🇸 The state of #Palestine was declared on November 15, 1988, by Yasser Arafat, then leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. 🌍 Today it is recognised by more than 140 of the 193 🇺🇳 UN member states, with 🇫🇷 France, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇨🇦 Canada and 🇦🇺 A

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict: How the push for a two-state solution could backfire

France and Saudi Arabia on Monday are set to join a raft of nations in officially recognising the state of Palestine amid a renewed push for a two-state solution. But some analysts warn the effort could backfire, entrenching unequal rights for Palestinia

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French towns fly Palestinian flag despite government orders ahead of state recognition

Some French mayors have defied government orders and flown Palestinian flags on town halls, with more expected to follow suit as France prepares to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly. FRANCE 24's Antonia Kerriga

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Palestinian and Israeli flags projected onto the Eiffel Tower

The unannounced projection of the Palestinian and Israeli flags and a dove symbolising peace onto the Eiffel Tower in Paris began at 9pm and ran until 11:45pm local time.

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Western powers recognise Palestinian state, drawing Israeli fury

Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal recognised Palestine on Sunday, a historic shift in Western policy that angered Israel. Palestinians in Gaza hailed it as a victory, while Netanyahu vowed a Palestinian state would never exist. FRANCE 24's Noga Tar

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Gaza: 'How can you talk of recognition when there's a genocide being committed against 2.3m people?'

A host of major Western countries are now recognising the State of Palestine, in a historic first. For in-depth analysis, Eve Irvine welcomes Chris Gunness, former spokesperson for UNRWA. Mr. Gunness warns that "it's just symbolic. How can you talk of re

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Live: France, several countries ready to recognise Palestinian state at UN

France and Saudi Arabia will convene dozens of world leaders on Monday to rally support for a two-state solution, with several of them expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state – a move that could draw harsh Israeli and US responses. Follow our

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Al-Sharaa arrives in New York for first UN visit by a Syrian president in nearly six decades

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the UN General Assembly, the first Syrian head of state to do so in nearly six decades. The last time a Syrian president addressed the gathering was in 1967, underscoring the visit’

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Yesterday

British PM Starmer says "two-state solution is the best hope for peace and security"

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a pre-recorded video message on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms, announcing that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the State of Palestine. This makes Britain the 148th of the UN’s 193 m

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United Kingdom recognises Palestinian state in major diplomatic shift

Minister Keir Starmer has released a pre-recorded video message on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms, announcing that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the State of Palestine. This makes the UK the 148th of the UN’s 193 member

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United Kingdom recognises Palestinian state: Move opposed by Israel and US

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has released a pre-recorded video message on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms, announcing that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the State of Palestine. This makes the UK the 148th of the UN’s 193

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UK recognises Palestine: A diplomatic failure for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has released a pre-recorded video message announcing that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the State of Palestine. France 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem on the reactions among Israelis and t

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UK recognises Palestine: West Bank welcomes the move

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has released a pre-recorded video message on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms, announcing that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the State of Palestine. This makes the UK the 148th of the UN’s 193

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United Kingdom recognises Palestinian State: British PM Starmer delivers a video-message

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared a pre-recorded video message on his YouTube channel and other social media, in which he announced that the United Kingdom officially recognises the State of Palestine. The UK becomes the 148th of the UN’s 193 me

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United Kingdom recognises Palestinian state in major diplomatic shift

United Kingdom is set to recognise the Palestinian state, with a videomessage pre-recorded by the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer which will significantly change the foreign policy of the country. France24 Benedicte Paviot reports the latest from Lon

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United Kingdom: British PM Starmer prepares to recognise Palestinian state

The United Kingdom is set to recognise the Palestinian state via a pre-recorded video message from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, marking a significant shift in the country’s foreign policy. France 24’s Bénédicte Paviot reports from London on the political

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Gaza, Palestinian state recognition set to dominate UN General Assembly summit

Saudi Arabia and France will co-chair meetings at the UN General Assembly summit beginning Monday on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The French presidency said Friday that 10 countries would formally recognise Palestinian stateh

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Gaza: Palestinians search for shelter as Israel ramps up campaign

Nearly half a million Palestinians have fled south from Gaza City since late August, the Israeli military said Friday, as it pushes ahead with a deadly ground offensive into the famine-stricken city. Meanwhile, dozens more people are killed by Israeli st

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UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognise Palestinian state, drawing Israeli fury

The UK, Australia, Canada and Portugal formally recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday, confirming a major diplomatic shift that has prompted vociferous opposition from the US and Israel. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move aimed "to re

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Four Western powers recognise Palestinian state, Netanyahu says it 'will not happen'

Portugal joined Britain, Canada and Australia in formally recognising the state of Palestine on Sunday in a major diplomatic shift ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York, where the question of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflic

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Western shift: UK and Portugal to recognise Palestinian state

Britain and Portugal are set to recognise the State of Palestine on Sunday, ahead of a key week at the UN General Assembly in New York, where around 10 countries may follow suit to pressure Israel over Gaza. UK media report that Prime Minister Keir Starm

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The State of Palestine: What does it represent?

Successive governments have said that recognition should only come as part of a peace process between Palestine and Israel. But what does a Palestinian state look like? In 1988, 148 of the 193 UN member states recognised Palestine after Yasser Arafat, th

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Saturday, september 20, 2025

More than 65,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, troops press assault with tanks and drones

Nearly half a million Palestinians have fled south from Gaza City since late August, the Israeli military said Friday as it pushes ahead with a deadly ground offensive into the famine-struck city. The UN estimated that around one million people were livi

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Macron scores risky diplomatic coup with Palestinian recognition

French President Emmanuel Macron scored a major diplomatic coup by declaring his intention to recognise a Palestinian state, but the move risks retaliation from Israel, which could shut down France's consulate in Jerusalem – intensively used by Palestini

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UN chief says world should not be 'intimidated' by Israel in its moves to annex West Bank

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday said the world should not be “intimidated” by Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza, adding that the international community should try to “put pressure” on Israel to keep it from annexing the West

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World should not be 'intimidated' by Israel when moving to recognise Palestine, says UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday said the world should not be “intimidated” by Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza, adding that the international community should try to “put pressure” on Israel to keep it from annexing the West B

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Macron set to recognise Palestinian state: Why is France forbidding mayors from flying the flag?

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to formally declare France’s recognition of a Palestinian state at a United Nations conference in New York co-chaired with Saudi Arabia, as the U.N. General Assembly starts. Meanwhile, France's interior ministry ha

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Friday, september 19, 2025

Former UK PM Tony Blair working on post-Gaza war plan, reports say

Former British prime minister Tony Blair is working on a plan for post-war Gaza, according to British and Israeli media reports. Reporting from Jerusalem, FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky says there has been no official Israeli response to the reports, but i

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Gaza: Macron strongly criticises Israel’s military offensive

During an interview for Israeli TV, #Macron criticised Israel’s #Gaza offensive, warned of damage to its #credibility, and reiterated support for a #Palestinian state.

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'Words from the mouths of Israeli leaders' show genocidal intent, UN commission member says

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Chris Sidoti, a member of the UN Independent Commission on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, discussed the “accumulation of evidence” that led the commission to conclude that Israel is committing genocide. Sido

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Israel warns of ‘unprecedented force’ in Gaza City offensive, urges residents to flee

The Israeli army on Friday said it would use "unprecedented force" in its Gaza City ground offensive and asked residents to flee further south. But many already displaced Palestinians say the journey is prohibitively expensive and they do not know where

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Around 480,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since late August, Israel’s military says

Nearly half a million Palestinians have fled south from Gaza City since late August, the Israeli military said Friday as it pushes ahead with a deadly ground offensive into the famine-struck city. The UN estimated that around one million people were livi

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Thursday, september 18, 2025

Attacker opens fire at crossing between West Bank and Jordan, killing at least two

An attacker killed at least two at the Allenby crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on Thursday before being "neutralised" by security forces, the Israeli military said, adding that the assailant arrived in a truck carrying humanitarian aid to the G

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'Israel sufficiently weakened Hamas to stop war, free hostages and allow for reconstruction of Gaza'

Israel is urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw a proposal that would curb trade ties in a bid to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza. The EU executive also plans to propose sanctions against "extremist ministers" and "

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Syrian foreign minister heads to Washington for first official US trip

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is due to arrive in Washington D.C. on Thursday for his first official trip to the US capital since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December last year. Talks between the top Syrian diplomat and lo

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Israel bombs Gaza City as hospitals are pushed to the 'brink of collapse'

The Israeli military pounded Gaza City using warplanes and tanks on Thursday, pushing yet more residents to flee the enclave's largest city. As a result of Israel intensifying its military operations, hospitals in Gaza are now "on the brink of collapse",

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Wednesday, september 17, 2025

Mideast conflict: 'Dialogue of the deaf' doomed two-state solution, but are history's lessons heard?

In their new book, “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, veteran Middle East negotiators Robert Malley and Hussein Agha examine how and why the stubborn adherence to the two-state solution narrative to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict failed. FRANCE 24 spoke to M

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EU proposes curbing Israel trade ties, sanctioning ministers over Gaza

The European Union on Wednesday proposed curbing trade ties with Israel and sanctioning ministers in its strongest action over the war in Gaza, though reluctance from key member states risks blocking the measures' adoption. FRANCE 24's Dave Keating repor

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'Our struggle is intertwined with the Palestinians' struggle', Mandela's grandson says

Speaking on FRANCE 24, South African MP and activist Nkosi Zwelivelile 'Mandla' Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, explains that South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle 'has been intertwined with that of the Palestinians' and that 'they will utilize all

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Gaza before and after: A look at what the Palestinian enclave has become

Roads and #buildings lie in ruins, high-rises replaced by tents — a stark before-and-after look at what the #Palestinian enclave of #Gaza has become after 23 months of war.

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War in Gaza: Spain says it will boycott Eurovision if Israel competes

Spain says it will boycott Eurovision if Israel is allowed to participate in next year’s competition, adding to a growing list of countries making similar demands.

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Israel military presses on with its new ground offensive on Gaza City

Israeli forces pressed on with a new ground offensive in Gaza City Wednesday as strikes overnight across the Palestinian territory killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials said.

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Israeli military ground offensive moves in Gaza City as Palestinians flee

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, vowing to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of war as thousands of Palestinians fled in vehicles strapped with mattresses and other belongings that clogged a coastal road.

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UN reports 78% of Gaza Strip buildings are partially or fully destroyed

The death count in Gaza is nearing 65,000 Palestinians since the war began Oct. 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel, according to health officials in the enclave.

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Flotilla passenger headed to Gaza tells France 24 we have collective responsibility to aid civilians

Eve Irvine welcomes Dr. James Smith, an emergency doctor who has worked in war‐torn Gaza over the past two years. He is now on board the flotilla in an effort to end the Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid. He argues that all of us bear a "collective re

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Doctor on Gaza flotilla condemns Israeli ‘strategy of progressive ethnic cleansing’

A flotilla bound for Gaza carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists set sail Monday from Tunisia after repeated delays, aiming to break Israel's blockade and deliver aid to the Palestinian territory. “If we successfully reach Gaza, many more flotillas w

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Thousands flee Gaza City as Israeli air strikes kill dozens in new offensive

The civil defence agency in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said Israeli fire had killed at least 64 people on Wednesday, including 41 in Gaza City as thousands of Gazans fled south on foot, by car and on donkey carts to escape Israel's renewed bombardment.

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Temporary transit route out of Gaza City is 'not safe humanitarian passage'

The “temporary” new route for residents to flee Gaza City that the Israeli military has announced is one that has been used in the past. But “it has not proven to be a completely safe humanitarian passage,” FRANCE 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jer

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'One million people in Gaza City subjected to relentless bombing by Israeli forces'

Israel has launched its offensive in Gaza City, vowing to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of war. The operation into the largest Palestinian city escalated a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushed any ceasefire

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'Trade, investment and connection with Israeli settlements help sustain a totally illegal project'

Oxfam is among the more than 80 civil society / NGO organisations internationally who have authored a new report entitled Trading with Illegal Settlements. Key findings include the economic and humanitarian consequences of settlements, the role of foreig

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Top Hamas official targeted by Israeli strike on Doha interviewed by Al Jazeera

Ghazi Hamad, one of the top Hamas officials targeted by an Israeli strike in Doha on September 9, appeared Wednesday in a live interview broadcast by Qatari channel Al Jazeera, the first appearance by a Hamas official since the attack. Earlier in the day

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Tuesday, september 16, 2025

'Until Israel shifts from a mindset of dominance, it will never enjoy security'

Speaking on FRANCE 24, conflict mediator and director of the Forward Thinking think tank, Oliver Mc Ternan, says that 'Israel is now locked in its own disinformation' and that 'until it shifts from this mindset of dominance it will never enjoy security'.

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The demolition of Gaza City: Can Israel ignore growing outrage?

First came October 7, 2023 and the bloodiest day of terror in Israel's history. Then came retribution. Since then, it has never stopped. Gaza is entering a new circle of hell with Israeli tanks entering the centre of its capital city and the apparent lau

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Syria says agrees plan with Jordan, US to restore calm in Druze-majority Sweida

Syria, Jordan and the United States have agreed on a plan to restore stability in the southern Syrian province of Sweida after it was rocked by deadly clashes between members of the Druze minority sect and Bedouin tribes in July, Syria's transitional gov

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Three years after Mahsa Amini's death, Iranian women have seized 'irreversible' liberties

The September 16, 2022, death of Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked massive protests and a deadly crackdown by the Iranian regime. But three years later, Iranian society has witnessed "irreversible" changes. In the streets of Tehran and in provincial

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Fall of a liberal democracy? 'Netanyahu pushing Israel into complete isolation, into a pariah state'

No exit strategy. Critics say Prime Minister Netanyahu is prolonging the Gaza war to serve his political survival, not Israel’s security. From the outset, eliminating Hamas was declared the priority, but was it nothing more than a mere slogan? As familie

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