France has officially recognised a Palestinian state, joining a growing number of nations making the move amid escalating international concern over the conflict in Gaza.
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, President Emmanuel Macron declared that "the time for peace has come" and condemned the ongoing war in Gaza, saying "nothing justifies" its continuation.
US President Donald Trump is set to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, alongside key regional leaders including those from Jordan and Qatar.
On Monday, the United States opted out of a one-day summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia that focused on advancing a two-state solution. Other key G7 nations, including Germany and Italy, were also notably absent.
Several European nations — Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, and San Marino — are poised to follow suit in recognising Palestinian statehood, following similar declarations from the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal made on Sunday.
International pressure on Israel is intensifying over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its continued settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Israel has sharply criticised the wave of recognition, arguing that it effectively rewards Hamas for its attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry run by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli forces are currently engaged in a ground offensive in Gaza City — once home to a million residents — where famine was officially declared last month.
President Macron told the UN gathering that hostilities must cease and Israeli hostages still held by Hamas must be released. Warning against "the peril of endless wars", he stressed that "right must always prevail over might".
He also criticised the international community’s failure to establish a lasting and just peace in the Middle East, urging all parties to preserve the chance of a two-state solution that allows Israel and Palestine to coexist "side by side in peace and security".
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, speaking on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, echoed Macron’s sentiment, reaffirming that a two-state solution remains the sole viable path to lasting peace in the region.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation of a new financial mechanism to aid in Gaza’s reconstruction. "We must all do more," she told the General Assembly. "This is why we will set up a Palestine Donor Group."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation in Gaza as "morally, legally and politically intolerable", adding that a two-state solution remains the "only credible path" to peace.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was barred from attending the assembly after the US revoked his and other officials’ visas, addressed the UN via videolink. He called for a permanent ceasefire and insisted that Hamas should play no role in governing Gaza, urging the group to "surrender their weapons" to the Palestinian Authority.
"We want one unified state without weapons," Abbas said. He also condemned Hamas’s 7 October attack and directly appealed to Israelis, stating: "Our future and yours depends on peace. Enough violence and war."
Meanwhile, Israel pushed back against international recognition efforts. President Isaac Herzog warned such moves would only "embolden the forces of darkness", while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that there would be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Dannon, dismissed the two-state proposal as obsolete and called the UN talks a "charade". He also refused to rule out annexing the occupied West Bank.
Ahead of Macron’s announcement, Palestinian and Israeli flags were projected onto the Eiffel Tower on Sunday night. Several municipal buildings in France raised Palestinian flags on Monday, despite government orders for neutrality.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in around 80 towns and cities across Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government recently said that recognising a non-existent state could prove "counter-productive".
In Germany, the government has stated that Palestinian statehood is not currently under consideration. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul noted on Monday that "recognition of a Palestinian state comes more at the end of the process. But this process must begin now".
President Macron confirmed France is prepared to contribute to a "stabilisation mission" in Gaza and proposed a transitional administration led by the Palestinian Authority to dismantle Hamas. However, he added that France would not open an embassy to a Palestinian state until all hostages are freed and a ceasefire is secured.
Source: BBC
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