President Emmanuel Macron decision to announce France’s recognition of a Palestinian state on the Jewish new year is more than just an insult, it’s an admission that France does not want a relationship with Israel, say Jewish leaders angered by the Quai D’Orsay’s commitment to statehood amid Hamas’ war with Israel. 

“A country with half a million Jews doesn’t have an excuse for not knowing about Rosh Hashanna … It’s revealing. France is not actually interested in any Israeli input or involvement,” wrote a senior political correspondent at Jewish Insider news, Lahav Harkov. 

France announced last month that it would recognize a Palestinian state on September 22, the first evening of Rosh Hashanah. The date coincides with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the night before high-level debate begins at the annual General Assembly at Turtle Bay.

In response to France’s declaration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas a visa to enter America for the assembly. He noted Thursday that the day France announced its recognition of statehood, Hamas walked away from negotiations.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said Thursday that as a result of the decision, Mr. Macron would be barred from entering Israel.  “Israel seeks good relations with France, but France must respect Israel’s position when it comes to matters essential to its security and future,” he reportedly told France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot.

In a gesture of diplomacy, Mr. Macron had also attempted to meet with American-Jewish leaders on the first night of Rosh Hashanah coinciding with the statehood conference at New York. Several declined and the meeting was cancelled.

“I think most organizations wouldn’t have participated at all,” one source told i24 News. “The guy has 15 percent popularity in France. It’s not our job to save him.”

France is home to 440,000 Jews, the third largest population in the world, after Israel and America. However, with more than 4 million Arabs in France, mainly from North Africa and other former French colonies, Mr. Macron is walking a diplomatic tightrope. 

Mr. Macron calls Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its 701st day following the attack and murder of 1,200 people in Israel by Hamas, a “genocide.” On Saturday, Mr. Macron issued a lukewarm statement calling for the release of the remaining 48 hostages taken on October 7, 2023, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. 

France is reportedly home to 4,100 “Palestinian Arabs,” most of whom arrived during the wars of 1948 and 1967. In July 2025, the French courts announced that residents in France who come from Gaza would be permitted automatic refugee status. Approximately 200 people from Gaza sought asylum in the first nine months of 2024. 

Mr. Macron insists that a Palestinian state, approved during a July meeting with Arab nations and Turkey, will exclude the terrorist group Hamas and will be led by Mr. Abbas. A Palestinian state would enable “establishment of a regional security architecture with Israel,” he contends.

Israel, however, argues that a Palestinian state led by Mr. Abbas would lack authority since Mr. Abbas is seen as so meek that he has not held an election in the West Bank since 2007. Others note that any effort to establish a Palestinian state is just a shorthand for eventual elimination of the Jewish state.

“Hamas just declared: ‘We are ready to accept a long truce with Israel.’ To those in the West (and especially President Macron) who don’t understand what this really means, take it from someone who has studied and defeated their ideology. What they are really saying is: ‘We lost this battle, but we need a break to restore our ammunition and to leverage international pressure for recognition of a Palestinian state. Even though we Jihadists don’t believe in nation-states, we will use France’s pressure to corner Israel. And when Israel is weakened, we will repeat Oct 7, as we have vowed,’” Ms. Harkov posted on Sunday. 

“Don’t let Hamas get away with it,” she added.

On Sunday, Mr. Sa’ar met with his Danish counterpart, Lars Rasmussen, and issued a joint statement taking to task France and other supporters of a Palestinian state.

“The countries that support the establishment of a Palestinian state ignore the facts that show the Palestinian Authority does not deserve a state. Without a disconnection from the issues of incitement against Jews, Israel, and terrorism — it will not be possible to build a credible peace process,” he said.