French President Emmanuel Macron has said that his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, the most powerful European nation to announce such a move, AFP reports.

At least 142 countries now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally — though Israel and the United States strongly oppose the move.

Macron said the “urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population”.

“We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.