At a conference at the UN headquarters in New York, a day after Britain, Canada, Portugal and Australia recognized the State of Palestine, their example was followed by France and a number of other countries, including Belgium, Malta, Monaco, Luxembourg, Andorra and San Marino, global agencies summarize.
In his speech at the opening of the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "We are here because the time has come. The time has come to free the hostages held by “Hamas“. The time has come to stop the war, the bombing of Gaza, the massacres and the flight of the population. The time has come, because the need for urgent action is everywhere,” Agence France-Presse reported.
“The truth is that we bear collective responsibility for the fact that we have so far failed to build a just and lasting peace in the Middle East“, he said. “This became clear to us on October 7, 2023, when the Israeli people suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. The barbarity of “Hamas“ and of those who were complicit in this massacre shocked Israel and the world. October 7 is still a painful wound for the Israeli soul, as well as for the consciousness of the entire world. We condemn this barbarity without any nuance, because nothing, never, anywhere can justify resorting to terrorism. Today, our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We express our sympathy for the Israelis and demand, above all, that all hostages still held by Hamas be released without any conditions,” Macron stressed.
“We will never stop waging an existential struggle against anti-Semitism. As French people, we know the cruelty of terrorism“, he added.
“At this moment, Israel continues its military operations in Gaza with the declared aim of destroying “Hamas“. But the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, displaced, wounded, starving, traumatized, continue to be destroyed. At a time when “Hamas“ is significantly weakened and negotiations for a lasting ceasefire remain the surest way to release the hostages. Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies the continuation of the war in Gaza. Nothing. On the contrary, everything requires an end to the war now, since it has not been done before, in order to save people's lives," Macron said.
“There is a solution that will break the cycle of war and destruction. It is the recognition of the other, of his legitimacy, of his humanity, of his dignity. Let both open their eyes and see human faces where war has put the mask of the enemy or the features of a target. It is the recognition that Israelis and Palestinians live in double solitude“, he added.
“We must do everything possible to preserve the very possibility of a solution with two states, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security side by side. The time has come. "That is why, true to my country's historic commitment in the Middle East to peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, I declare that France today recognizes the State of Palestine," Macron stressed.
“Yes, the time has come to end the war in Gaza, the massacres, the deaths, immediately. The urgency demands it. The time has come for Israel to live in peace and security, from the Galilee to the Red Sea, across the Dead Sea, Lake Tiberias and Jerusalem. The time has come to stop discussing the existence of the State of Israel anywhere and to take it for granted. The time has come to restore justice to the Palestinian people and to recognize the State of Palestine, as a brother and neighbor, in Gaza and in the West Bank and in Jerusalem. "The time has come to drive the ugly face of terrorism from this land and build peace," Macron said.
During the conference, he also said that France is ready to make a commitment and contribute to the reconstruction and stability of Gaza after the end of the war in the strip.
The next step is to establish a transitional authority that would unite security forces and the young population of Gaza, who, with the help of the international community, would disarm "Hamas," Macron said, quoted in a BTA correspondence from New York. He also specified that France is ready to make its contribution to the issue. Macron allowed the possibility of the UN Security Council deploying a mission to Gaza, which would also work to achieve and consolidate peace in the enclave.
Macron explained that the opening of a French embassy in a future Palestinian state would be subject to the condition that the hostages in Gaza be released, Agence France-Presse added.
The conference at which the French leader spoke was attended by leaders from over 140 countries, the Associated Press and Reuters noted.
The United States, Israel's main ally, has criticized the decision of more countries to recognize the State of Palestine. White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt called it a "reward for Hamas."
In France, the leader of the far-right National Rally, Marine Le Pen, said Macron was making a serious mistake and that he was not recognizing Palestine, but "Hamastan."
Saudi Arabia described Macron's decision as "historic."
The conference at the UN headquarters in New York was initiated by Macron and co-chaired by him and Saudi Arabia. It followed months of intense diplomacy, which allowed the UN General Assembly to adopt a text in support of a future Palestinian state by an overwhelming majority, but from which "Hamas" would be unequivocally excluded.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a visa by the US, did not participate in the forum in person. He joined via videoconference and stressed that "Hamas" would have no role in governing the Palestinian state and that all armed Palestinian movements must hand over their weapons to the Palestinian Authority. Abbas also condemned the attack of October 7, 2023.
At the conference, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for the State of Palestine to become a full member of the UN. And Egypt announced that it will host a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza as soon as a ceasefire comes into force there.
In this context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the UN General Assembly is expected. He will deliver it on Friday. On Sunday, Netanyahu declared that there will be no Palestinian state and threatened to expand settlement activities in the West Bank. The two far-right ministers in Netanyahu's government, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, even called for the annexation of this occupied Palestinian territory.
"We must not feel intimidated by the risk of punishment“, stressed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the conference, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
He called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate release of the hostages in Gaza, according to a BTA correspondent from New York. Guterres welcomed the efforts, measures and plans of states seeking to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Nothing can justify collective punishment of the Palestinian people, nor any form of ethnic cleansing", he said. "Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward", he stressed. "If there are no two states, there will be no peace", the UN Secretary-General added. "I urge you to do everything possible to support the solution for the peaceful existence of two states", Guterres concluded.
While Macron was announcing in New York that France recognized the State of Palestine, the Palestinian flag was unfurled in front of the town halls of about 100 French cities, Agence France-Presse reported.
And in neighboring Italy, which at this stage does not join the recognition of the State of Palestine, yesterday there was a nationwide strike in support of the Palestinians from Gaza, which was expressed in the paralysis of transport, in marches of many thousands throughout the country, in the invasion of stations, ports and the blockade of key roads, which led to clashes between demonstrators and the police, summarize Italian media, including ANSA and "TG Com 24".