France recognises Palestinian state ahead of UN General Assembly

New York [US], September 23 (ANI): French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday (local time) formally announced France's recognition of the State of Palestine, becoming the latest Western nation to do so ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The decision comes a day after Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia also announced their formal recognition of Palestine, a move widely seen as an effort to increase international pressure on Israel amid its continued military campaign in Gaza.

“The time has come. This is why, true to the historic, 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,” President Macron said during a summit on the two-state solution held in New York.

President Macron, addressing the United Nations, stated that recognising a Palestinian state is the “only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace,” describing the decision as a "defeat for Hamas," CNN reported.

He added, “We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.”

Macron emphasised that acknowledging the rights of the Palestinian people “takes nothing away from the rights of the people of Israel, who France supported from day one.”

Macron made the announcement while co-chairing the high-profile conference on the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alongside Saudi Arabia and delivered the declaration personally. The move comes despite strong opposition from Israel, which has criticised the recognitions by France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, alleging that they reward Hamas and terrorism.

Meanwhile, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia announced their formal recognition of the State of Palestine on Sunday, days after the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution calling for the implementation of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

Among these nations, Canada was the first to make its announcement, followed by Australia and then the UK. The move follows through on their previous commitments by these countries to grant recognition if Tel Aviv failed to agree to a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

More than 140 countries have already recognised Palestine. The decisions by the UK and France are seen as significant as both are members of the G7 and the UN Security Council.

On September 12, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution reviving a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, less than 24 hours after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would never be a Palestinian state. India was among the 142 nations that voted in favour of 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'.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposed the UK, Canada, and Australia's move to recognise Palestine and said that there will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River.

In a strongly worded statement published in PMO, condemning the move, PM Netanyahu vowed to give a response to countries after his US visit.

"There will be no Palestinian state. The response to the latest attempt to force upon us a terror state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu alleged that by recognising Palestine, they are "rewarding terror with an enormous prize," expressing his determination not to let this happen.

"I have a clear message to those leaders who are recognising a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre: You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize. And I have another message for you: It's not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River. For years, I have prevented the creation of that terror state, against tremendous pressure, both domestic and from abroad," he said.

"We have done this with determination and with astute statesmanship. Moreover, we have doubled the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path," he added. (ANI)