United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been unresolved for generations as dialogue has faltered and resolutions have been flouted.
Amid an increasing number of countries recognising Palestine as a state, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing member states at the UN Headquarters in New York, reaffirmed that “statehood for Palestinians is a right, not a reward,” as the international body reiterated its support for a two-state solution to resolve the protracted Israel-Gaza conflict.
UN chief says denying statehood would be a gift to extremists
Antonio Guterres said, “Statehood for a Palestinian is a right, not a reward, and denying statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere. Without two states, there will be no peace in the Middle East.”
He further added, “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been unresolved for generations. Dialogue has faltered, resolutions have been flouted.”
However, he underscored the UN’s long-standing position on the two-state framework, stating, “A two-state solution where two independent sovereign democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security within their secure and recognised borders based on the pre-1967 1967-lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states in line with international law, UN resolution and other relevant agreements.”
France recognises Palestine as a state
After Canada, UK and Australia, now French President Emmanuel Macron 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 from France 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.
Here’s what Macron said in Palestine
“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.”
The French declaration follows similar announcements by Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, which declared 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 recognised Palestine
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’.
With inputs from ANI
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