PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 23: French President Emmanuel Macron waves to media as he waits for Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati prior to their meeting at Elysee Palace on October 23, 2024 in Paris, France. The meeting came ahead of the International Conference in Support of the Population and Sovereignty of Lebanon, which will be held tomorrow in Paris. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)
(The Post News)- French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September. Macron indicated in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that he plans to make the recognition official during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
In his post, Macron called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further suffering in Palestine and to allow essential humanitarian aid into Gaza. “We need to demand an immediate ceasefire to save the people of Palestine from catastrophic events and ensure peace. Attacks must stop, and food aid must be allowed into Gaza,” he wrote.
The announcement received criticism from the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who labelled Macron’s decision as “thoughtless.”
Conversely, Palestinian politician Hussein al-Sheikh praised Macron’s stance, commending France for supporting Palestine’s right to self-determination and its commitment to protecting the human rights of Palestinians.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, also applauded President Macron’s decision, stating it reflects a strong commitment to supporting the Palestinian people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned Macron’s move, warning that recognising Palestine as a state under current circumstances would threaten Israel’s security. “Palestine does not need independence from Israel to be clear, peace cannot exist if Palestine resists. A Palestinian state now would serve as a base to destroy Israel,” Netanyahu stated.
In related developments, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to join discussions with French and German leaders to explore solutions to end the violence in Gaza. The talks are scheduled for Friday.
Recent reports indicate that at least 59,106 people have died in Gaza due to Israeli military operations. Israeli troops have also been accused of attacking civilians attempting to access United Nations food aid.
Additionally, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported that one in five children in Gaza City is suffering from malnutrition, with new cases being recorded daily as the humanitarian crisis deepens Palestine is recognised as a state by over 140 of the 193 United Nations member countries, including several European nations such as Spain and Ireland.
However, Israel and its key allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, do not recognise Palestine as an independent state.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also facing increasing pressure to formally recognise Palestine as a sovereign country.
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