NEW YORK — French President Emmanuel Macron recognized Palestinian statehood in a historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, angering the United States and Israel in the process.
“France recognizes today the State of Palestine,” he said in front of hundreds of U.N. delegates, “for peace between the Israeli and the Palestinian people.”
In his speech, Macron delivered an impassioned call for an urgent end to Israel’s current war in Gaza, for the release of hostages held by the militant group Hamas, and for reviving the idea of a two-state solution to the decades of conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
“The time has come because the emergency is everywhere,” he said. “The time for peace is now, because it will soon be too late to grab the moment.”
Macron has led a diplomat push in recent months to get countries to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations annual get-together to ramp up pressure for peace as Israel intensified its ground offensive in Gaza. On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia all recognized a Palestinian state. Other European countries including Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino and Monaco are expected to follow suit.
Macron said it was urgent for nations to “open a pathway towards peace,” adding: “The time has come because the worst may be ahead of us, whether it’s the sacrifice of so many more civilians, the expulsion of the Gazan population toward Egypt, the annexation of the West Bank, or the death of hostages detained by Hamas.”
The French president also hit back at criticism from Israel and the U.S. that his move rewards and strengthens Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He said Hamas was “weakened” and now needs to be defeated politically.
Macron also said that the recognition of a Palestinian state would be a phased process and that France would “be attentive” when it came to Palestinian commitments and steps toward full statehood. “I would decide to open an embassy to Palestine once all the hostages in Gaza have been released and a ceasefire has been implemented,” he said.
Both the U.S. and Israel have criticized the surge in support for the two-state solution. Spokesperson for Donald Trump Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. president “disagrees with” the decision to recognize a Palestinian state.
“He feels this does not do anything to free the hostages, which is the primary goal in Gaza, does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close — and, frankly, he believes it is a reward for Hamas,” Leavitt said Monday.
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