'The time has come': France joins wave of countries in recognising Palestinian state
France joined a growing list of countries to recognise a Palestinian state on Monday, as global outrage continues to mount over Israel's genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip and illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Alongside France, which co-convened the summit in New York with Saudi Arabia ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco also said they were recognising a Palestinian state.
Three other European countries said they would recognise Palestine at a future date once certain criteria had been met.
Belgium said recognition hinged on Hamas releasing Israeli captives and the Palestinian movement being removed from any governing position, meanwhile, Denmark and the Netherlands said they would recognise Palestine at a later date following the fulfilment of other conditions.
Dignitaries from more than 30 countries spoke in support of a Palestinian state at the summit, with leaders from the eight countries that recognised Palestine on Sunday and Monday garnering applause during their speeches.
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Even before the conference started, it was clear French President Emmanuel Macron was the centre of attention.
Macron couldn't take a step towards the stage without being interceded by a throng of delegates lining his path, enthusiastically shaking his hand or hugging or kissing him.
Macron opened the conference with a speech orbiting around the theme of "the time has come."
"The time has come because the urgency is everywhere," he said.
"The time for peace has come because we are only moments away from no longer being able to seize it. That is why we are here today. Some will say it is too late, others will say it is too soon. One thing is certain, we can no longer wait."
'This recognition is a way of affirming that the Palestinian people are not a people who are surplus to requirements'
- French President Emmanuel Macron
He said that while the Israelis had established "a vibrant democracy," the "promise of an Arab state, however, remains unfulfilled."
"The truth is that we bear the collective responsibility for having so far failed to build a just and lasting peace in the Near East," he said.
"It falls on us, this responsibility, to do everything in our power to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.
"Today, I declare that France recognises the state of Palestine," he said.
Macron also made a nod to the much-loved Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish, eliciting a standing ovation from the floor.
"This recognition is a way of affirming that the Palestinian people are not a people who are surplus to requirements. That on the contrary, they are a people who never say farewell to anything, to borrow the words of Mahmoud Darwish," he said.
Global impunity
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud also addressed the UN, on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where expressed concerns over the selective use of international law.
"Our world today is witnessing many crises exacerbated by the satisfaction of managing them without finding practical solutions to address them," he said.
"This is due to the laxity of practical international efforts and selectivity in implementing international law and international humanitarian law. This has resulted in the expansion of the circle of violence and conflicts and the threat to the principles of international legitimacy."
He said adherence to the principles and foundations set by the UN Charter was required.
The Saudi foreign minister added that the kingdom rejected and condemned Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinian people, which a chorus of international experts and scholars concludes is a genocide.
Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since its war on Gaza began with the majority of those killed women and children.
"The recent attacks against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip represent just one chapter in the decades-long suffering of the Palestinians," he said.
"Since last year, brutal Israeli actions have resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, predominantly women and children, through systematic bombings, killings, destruction, and imposed starvation," he said.
He added that global impunity was encouraging Israel to continue its war, calling for the stability of Lebanon to be protected.
'A right, not a reward'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his disappointment at the Palestinian delegation being denied visas to attend the historic UNGA and questioned what an alternative to a two-state solution might be.
"A one-state scenario where Palestinians are denied basic rights? Expelled from their homes and their land. Forced to live under perpetual occupation, discrimination and subjugation - how is this possible in the 21st century?" he asked.
"How is it acceptable? This is neither peace nor justice. It will only increase the growing isolation of Israel on the global stage. Let's be clear: Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he would not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state, and on Monday called the moves an "absurdity" and a "reward for terrorism."
Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, who joined the conference through video link after the General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution enabling him to speak, called for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Hamas to disarm.
"What we want is a state with one law and one legitimate security force,' Abbas said.
Many other member states also spoke about the need for the removal of Hamas as an important measure for a future Palestinian state. All lamented the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Gaza at the hands of Israel.
The US, Israel's closest ally, was not in attendance and has criticised Western governments for their recognition of Palestine, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying earlier that the move will "embolden [Hamas]" and make it harder to end the war.
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