ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced that France recognizes the State of Palestine, marking the fulfillment of an announcement made in July asserting Paris' belief that the Palestinian people have the right to a state of their own.

Speaking at a UN summit on the New York Declaration, a French- and Saudi-backed proposal pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Macron said, "I declare that France recognizes today the State of Palestine," with his statement receiving loud applause and a standing ovation from attendees.

Conspicuously absent from the crowd was the Israeli delegation, with Tel Aviv having extensively criticized the New York Declaration's contents. Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said that it shows that the UN General Assembly has become “a political circus detached from reality" and that Israel “utterly rejects the declaration.”

"Nothing justifies the ongoing war in Gaza," Macron said in his speech, with the French president having become an increasingly vocal critic of Israeli actions in the Palestinian territory in recent months. "There is a way to break the cycle of war and destruction. It lies in the recognition of 'the other'."

"We must do everything to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution: Israel and Palestine—two states living side by side in peace and security," he continued.

During his speech, Macron reiterated his position that France will not open an embassy in Palestine until all Israeli hostages held in Gaza are freed. In a video message posted on X on Sunday, the president said that "we never forget" about the hostages, urging their release "without delay."

The New York Declaration asserts that Hamas must be disarmed and a governing role given to the Palestinian Authority to facilitate a lasting diplomatic solution to the conflict.

The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry lauded what they termed the "historic and courageous decision," saying in a statement that it is "consistent with international law and United Nations resolutions and supports ongoing efforts to achieve peace and implement the two-state solution."

During his speech, Macron reiterated his position that France will not open an embassy in Palestine until all Israeli hostages held in Gaza are freed. In a video message posted on X on Sunday, the president said that "we never forget" about the hostages, urging their release "without delay."

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 65,000 Palestinians and the wounding of more than 165,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Vast areas of Gaza have been razed to the ground, displacing the majority of the territory's 2 million inhabitants.

Macron in July announced Paris' intention to recognize the State of Palestine, saying that “it is essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East."

The French move comes a day after the UK, Canada, and Australia recognized Palestinian statehood in a joint move, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing his vision for "a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian State."