RIYADH: Gulf Arab states on Friday welcomed President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France would recognize the state of Palestine, and urged other countries to follow suit. Other European Union members have recognized Palestine since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023 but France is the first member of the G7 group of major advanced economies to do so.

More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including more than a dozen in Europe.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state, in an announcement that comes amid snowballing global anger...