France has announced it will recognize the state of Palestine, a move that could shift discussions about the Middle East's future.

France will officially recognize the state of Palestine, "true to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East," Emmanuel Macron said.

Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, will formally present his country’s intention to recognise a Palestinian state at the rescheduled French-Saudi conference in New York on July 28th. Meanwhile, the war in Gaza continues unabated. ■