Macron: France officially recognizes Palestinian state
Photo: Emmanuel Macron, President of France (Getty Images)
France officially recognizes the state of Palestine. Paris wants Israel and Palestine to live in peace and security, stated French President Emmanuel Macron during a speech at the UN General Assembly, Sky News reports.
Macron noted that Israel is currently expanding its military operation in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas, but "hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced, injured, famished, traumatised."
"We're so convinced that this recognition is the only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace, France has never wavered, standing by Israel's side even when its security was at stake, including when there were Iranian strikes. This recognition of the state of Palestine is a defeat for Hamas," the French President added.
According to the French President, the main priority is to ensure the release of 48 hostages and to end military operations across the entire Gaza Strip.
"I commend the efforts undertaken by Qatar, Egypt, and the US to achieve this. I ask Israel to do nothing more that would thwart these. The time has come to cast out from these lands the vile face of terrorism and to forge peace. This is what has brought us here today, and we're very hopeful that we will be able to forge it," Macron emphasized.
Recognition of Palestine
Earlier, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal officially recognized the state of Palestine.
This decision came ahead of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.
More details on this decision and its implications can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
Previously, Politico reported, citing sources, that Macron aims to unite a group of countries at the UN General Assembly around the idea of recognizing Palestine.
