France formally recognised the state of Palestine on Monday, marking a significant diplomatic step at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders gathered to press for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. The announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron drew loud applause from more than 140 leaders present, with the Palestinian delegation, including its UN ambassador Riyad Mansour, standing to cheer, according to news agency AP.“True to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, this is why I declare that today, France recognises the state of Palestine,” Macron said. He later told delegates that recognition was “the only path to a peaceful future for Israel,” adding that it meant acknowledging “legitimacy, humanity, and dignity”, as per New York Times.France was joined by Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco, who also announced or confirmed their recognition, following similar declarations a day earlier from the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal. However, Germany, Italy and Japan stopped short of recognition, though they participated in the discussions.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, addressing the assembly by video after the US revoked his visa, condemned the “killing and detention of civilians, including Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7, 2023,” and urged an end to “violence and war.” He confirmed the Palestinian Authority had abolished payments to families of militants killed or jailed by Israel, a demand long pressed by Israel and the US. “What we want is a state with one law and one legitimate security force,” he added, pledging that Hamas would have no role in a reformed Palestinian Authority.UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted Palestinian statehood was “a right, not a reward,” warning that without two states “there will be no peace in the Middle East, and radicalism will spread around”.Israel, however, had strongly opposed the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said recognition of Palestinian statehood amounted to “an absurd reward for terrorism,” vowing to fight such efforts “both at the UN and in all other arenas”. Netanyahu also hinted at unilateral steps, including potential annexation of West Bank territory, a move his far-right coalition has pushed. The UAE, a key broker of the Abraham Accords, has warned annexation would cross a “red line”.The United States also criticised the recognition drive, with President Donald Trump’s administration blaming it for derailing ceasefire talks with Hamas. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, walked away from negotiations in July, while an Israeli strike this month targeted Hamas negotiators in Qatar, one of the mediators.Although recognition of Palestinian statehood will not immediately alter realities on the ground, where Israel continues its Gaza offensive and settlement expansion in the West Bank, diplomats argue it reflects a widening global consensus. “It does underline that there is still some potential pathway to a diplomatic solution for the Palestinians, even if everyone recognises that it is an extremely long pathway,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, as quoted by The New York Times.Around three-quarters of UN member states already recognise Palestine. A “New York Declaration” backed overwhelmingly in the General Assembly earlier this month by 142-10 votes, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, set out “tangible, time-bound and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution, condemning both Hamas’ October 7 attacks and Israel’s assaults on civilians in Gaza.Still, the war grinds on. Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 34 people, including children, on Sunday night, according to Gaza health officials. For many Palestinians fleeing the devastation, international recognition offers little immediate relief but some hope. “This is a beginning, or a glimmer of hope, for the Palestinian people,” said Fawzi Nour al-Deen, escaping Gaza City with his family, as per AP.
