By: Fern Sidman

In the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France will officially recognize a Palestinian state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, prominent American Jewish organizations and pro-Israel advocates are issuing stern rebukes—and calling for action. Among the most vocal is Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI), which is urging American Jews to cancel their trips to France as a form of protest.

According to a statement from AFSI National Chairman Moshe Phillips, Macron’s decision constitutes “a slap in the face to Israel’s victims of terrorism.” Phillips emphasized the troubling timing of the declaration, which coincided with news that Hamas has once again rebuffed American negotiators regarding the release of Israeli hostages—individuals who have now been held captive in Gaza for more than 650 days.

“President Macron’s announcement of recognizing a ‘State of Palestine,’ when no such state exists, is a slap in the face to Israel’s victims of terrorism,” Phillips stated. “That Macron issued this statement at the same time that Hamas once again told American negotiators that they refuse to free the innocent hostages they kidnapped over 650 days ago is a moral disgrace. American Jews should respond by canceling all planned trips to France.”

AFSI’s call to action has garnered support from key figures in the American pro-Israel community, including Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), who condemned Macron’s move in unequivocal terms. “Choosing to reward terrorism, hostage-taking, and genocide against Jews is the wrong choice,” Mast said, aligning himself with the growing chorus of voices critical of France’s diplomatic pivot.

The World Jewish Congress (WJC), led by Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, also weighed in with a strongly worded statement. Speaking on behalf of global Jewry, Lauder warned that Macron’s decision “has risked making peace between Israelis and Palestinians even further out of reach while rewarding the vile terrorism of Hamas.”

Lauder added, “When Israel has a partner for peace, only direct bilateral negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians will yield a lasting two-state outcome. Rather than stand firmly against the evils of Hamas, President Macron has reneged on his own prior commitments to recognize a Palestinian state, if and only if, Hamas surrenders and the hostages are released.”

The WJC president’s criticism also highlighted the potential security repercussions of Macron’s announcement, suggesting it could invite further violence. “Your dangerous decision risks inviting the next October 7 and incentivizing decades of Palestinian rejectionism of Israel’s right to exist. For the sake of an enduring peace free from the threat of terror, I implore you to reconsider,” Lauder concluded.

The American Jewish Congress joined the denunciations, labeling the French move a “shameful and cynical decision.” In a public statement, the organization argued that Macron’s plan “defies both moral clarity and geopolitical reality.”

“France is preparing to reward that extremism with diplomatic legitimacy,” the statement said, referring to Hamas’s continued control of Gaza and its intransigence in ceasefire negotiations. “Will Paris also recognize Hamas as part of the government of this so-called state?”

The timing of the French government’s announcement struck many observers as particularly provocative, coming just one day after Hamas reportedly refused to engage constructively in yet another round of ceasefire talks. The American Jewish Congress emphasized that Macron’s recognition plan “does not advance peace, it does not aid civilians on the ground, and it hands Hamas a propaganda victory.”

The group went on to urge the Trump administration, as well as Congressional leaders to push back against the French plan in forceful diplomatic terms. “This is not responsible diplomacy. It is a political gesture that emboldens terror and undermines serious efforts toward a negotiated resolution,” the statement added.

“The United States must make clear that this move will not be accepted,” it continued. “The Trump administration and Congress should stand firmly against this reckless and unilateral decision, which circumvents direct negotiations between the parties. President Trump must reaffirm America’s commitment to peace through strength and security, not through the appeasement of terror.”

As the date of Macron’s official recognition draws nearer, the controversy is expected to intensify. Pro-Israel organizations are ramping up their messaging, not only to galvanize opposition to the French initiative but to draw broader attention to what they see as a dangerous diplomatic precedent.

The strategic decision by AFSI to target French tourism may also hint at a broader shift in tactics, as American Jewish groups look to leverage economic and public pressure in response to diplomatic gestures that are hostile to Israel. Whether these calls will translate into measurable consequences for France remains to be seen, but the sharp condemnations from leading Jewish organizations suggest that Macron’s announcement has struck a nerve.

With Hamas still holding hostages and actively resisting ceasefire agreements, critics argue that the recognition of a Palestinian state sends the wrong message at a particularly volatile moment. If the reaction from the American Jewish community is any indication, France’s unilateral move may further entrench the very divisions it claims to seek to resolve.