Emmanuel Macron's announcement caused diplomatic ructions from the Middle East and Europe to Washington - but it did not come out of the blue.

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany will hold an emergency call Friday about the growing hunger crisis in Gaza, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will become the first major Western power to recognize a Palestinian state.

Macron shocked the world on Thursday when he broke ranks with his allies and announced that France would recognize Palestine as a nation-state.