French Prime Minister Emanuel Macron on Sunday defended his country’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine amid the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Macron told host Margaret Brennan that France wants “peace and security” for the region.

“If we want peace and security for all in the region, we have to preserve the condition of a political perspective for everybody,” Macron said. “Recognizing the Palestinian state today is the only way to provide a political solution to a situation which has to stop.”

While 147 out of 193 countries in the United Nations recognize the state of Palestine, France was ahead of other nations in the Western Alliance in offering recognition. During the weekend, Canada, Britain and Australia added to the list.

The U.S. has maintained support for Israel even as it has called for a peaceful resolution to the war in Gaza. Trump has repeatedly called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said France’s proclamation is a “reckless decision.” Macron called the criticism “excessive.”

“Hamas is just obsessed by destroying Israel, but I recognize the legitimacy of so many Palestinian people who want a state, who are a people,” said Macron. “They want a nation, they want a state, and we should not push them toward Hamas. If we don’t offer them a political perspective and such a recognition, the unique answer will be security, and they will be completely trapped by Hamas.”

Macron said he doesn’t think France’s decision has hurt the nation’s relationship with the U.S., adding his objective is to engage with the administration on what France has in mind for a “full-fledged peace and security plan for all.”

But simply killing as many Hamas members as possible cannot be the only solution, Macron said. “At the beginning of this war, you had more or less 25,000 Hamas fighters,” Macron told Brennan. “The Israeli army killed probably half of them, but Hamas managed to recruit the equivalent. You have as many fighters.”

France’s recognition is part of a three-pronged plan. The second phase is a ceasefire with the release of all hostages. The third, he said, is the perspective of two states, Palestine and Israel.

“Recognizing this right to have a Palestinian state through a diplomatic channel, this just giving another channel and offering a political way and isolating Hamas,” Macron said.