France officially recognizes the Palestinian State

France officially recognized a Palestinian state, becoming the last of a wave of countries to measure.

Speaking at the UN in New York, President Emmanuel Macron said that “the time of peace has come” and that “nothing justifies the in progress in Gaza”.

France and Saudi Arabia organize a one -day summit in the United Nations General Assembly focused on a two -state solution to the conflict. The G7 declares Germany, Italy and the United States have not attended.

Macron confirmed that Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra and San Marino also recognize a Palestinian state, after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced on Sunday.

International pressure is accelerating on Israel for the humanitarian crisis which takes place in Gaza and the construction of colonies in the West Bank.

Israel said recognition would reward Hamas for the attack on the Palestinian armed group on October 7, 2023 against southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and 251 people were taken hostage.

More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since then, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Gaza. The Israeli forces are currently carrying out an offensive on the ground aimed at taking control of Gaza City, where a million people lived and a famine was confirmed last month.

The French chief told the conference that the time had come to stop the war and release the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. He warned against the “peril of the endless wars” and said that “the law should always prevail over power”.

The international community had failed to build a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, he said, adding that “we have to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a solution to two states” which would see “Israel and Palestine side by side in peace and security”.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, also addressed the UN, on behalf of the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

He reiterated that a two -state solution was the only way to reach sustainable peace in the region.

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the situation of Gaza “morally, legally and politically intolerable” and said that a two -state solution was the only credible path for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas – who was prevented from attending the United Nations General Assembly in person after the United States revoked his officials of civil servants and other Palestinian officials – approached the conference via Videolink.

He called for a permanent ceasefire and said Hamas could not have any role in Gaza’s governance, calling the group to “put their weapons” to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“What we want is a unified state unarmed,” he said.

Abbas also condemned the attack on October 7, 2023 of Hamas against southern Israel and addressed to the Israelis saying: “Our future and yours depends on peace. Enough violence and war.”

Macron said that France was ready to contribute to a “stabilization mission” in Gaza and called for a transitional administration implying the AP which would supervise the dismantling of Hamas.

He said France would not open an embassy to a Palestinian state that all hostages held by Hamas will be released and that a cease-fire had been agreed.

The Israel Ambassador to the UN Danny Dannon spoke to journalists shortly before Macron’s announcement.

Dannon said that a two -state solution had been withdrawn from the table after the October 7 attack and called this week’s talks to the UN “Charade”. He also refused to exclude Israel by annexing the occupied West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that there will be no Palestinian state west of the river in Jordan, and President Isaac Herzog said that it would only think “would embrace the dark forces”.

Before Macron’s announcement, the Palestinian and Israeli flags were posted on the Eiffel Tower on Sunday evening. A number of city halls in France also piloted Palestinian flags on Monday, despite government order to local prefects to maintain neutrality.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations also took place in some 80 cities in Italy, where the government of Giorgia Meloni recently said that he could be “counterproductive” to recognize a state that did not exist.

In Germany, the government said that the Palestinian state was not currently on a debate, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, explained on Monday in New York that “for Germany, the recognition of a Palestinian state is coming more at the end of the process. But this process must start now.”