Foreign ministers of France and 14 other countries represented at a special UN conference issued a "New York call" urging nations across the world to recognise a Palestinian state, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Wednesday.

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

Recognising Palestinian statehood is an important step, but without a formal political process, remains largely a symbolic gesture.