France recognized Palestine as an independent state and, along with Saudi Arabia, called on Israel to immediately stop the war in Gaza at a UN conference led by these two countries, writes Bloomberg.
«There is one solution that can end the war and destruction: mutual recognition», — said French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, noting that recognition is a «defeat for Hamas».
Macron promised to open a Palestinian embassy after the release of hostages held by Hamas and the end of the war between this terrorist group and Israel, which has been ongoing for almost two years. He stated that it is also time for countries around the world to stop questioning the existence of the Israeli state.
The persistent efforts of France and Saudi Arabia to recognize Palestinian statehood led to the official recognition of Palestine by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia on Sunday. They joined nearly 150 countries that have already taken this step. Among those who do not consider Palestine a state, most are in Western Europe, including the USA, Japan, and New Zealand.
On Monday, officials from more than 30 countries will speak at the UN conference. Among them are Germany and Japan, which, although they supported Macron's initiative, have decided not to recognize Palestine for now.
This diplomatic initiative has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump and Israel, which considers it equivalent to rewarding Hamas. «There will be no Palestinian state», — said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. He called the official recognition «an attempt to impose a terrorist state in the very heart of our land». Netanyahu will speak at the UN General Assembly on Friday and meet with Trump at the White House next Monday. He stated that he would announce his response to the countries that recognized Palestine after this.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who has limited authority in the West Bank, spoke via video link, as he and other Palestinian officials were denied visas by the US government. Abbas stated that Hamas should have no role in the future governance of the Palestinian territories and again condemned the group's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
Photo: Bloomberg