(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
French President Emmanuel Macron made a bold move on Monday, announcing that France now officially recognizes the State of Palestine. This decision puts France in line with other Western nations and ramps up global pressure on Israel during its ongoing military operations in Gaza.
The announcement happened in New York, just before the 80th United Nations General Assembly kicks off. It follows quick actions from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, who all declared their recognition of Palestine on Sunday. Experts see these steps as a push to revive the two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine coexist peacefully side by side.
Speaking at a summit on the two-state solution, Macron declared, “The time has come. True to France’s historic commitment to peace in the Middle East between Israelis and Palestinians, I announce that today, France recognizes the state of Palestine.” He told the UN crowd that this recognition offers the best path for Israel to live in peace and called it a setback for Hamas, the group behind the October 7 attacks.
Macron stressed the urgency, adding, “We must do everything in our power to keep the two-state solution alive—Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.” He made it clear that supporting Palestinian rights doesn’t diminish Israel’s rights, noting France’s steadfast backing of Israel from the start.
Macron plans to co-chair a major conference on this topic with Saudi Arabia. The timing couldn’t be more charged, especially with strong pushback from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the recognitions by France, the UK, Canada, and Australia, calling them a “reward for terror” after the deadly October 7 massacre.
In a fiery statement from his office, Netanyahu vowed, “There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River.” He promised a firm response once he returns from his US trip and highlighted his efforts to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank—known as Judea and Samaria to Israelis—saying, “We have done this with determination and astute statesmanship, and we will continue on this path.”
These moves by G7 powerhouses like the UK and France carry extra weight, as both sit on the UN Security Council. Already, more than 140 countries recognize Palestine. The wave gained momentum after the UN General Assembly passed a key resolution on September 12, endorsing the two-state solution. That vote happened just a day after Netanyahu insisted no Palestinian state would ever exist. India joined 142 nations in supporting the resolution, titled “Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.”
Canada led the recent Western announcements, followed by Australia and then the UK. These countries had pledged to recognize Palestine if Israel didn’t agree to a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. As tensions simmer, world leaders hope these recognitions can spark real progress toward lasting peace in the region.
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