France says ‘enough waiting’ as it recognises Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron has officially confirmed that his government will recognize the State of Palestine. Following France’s announcement, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco also declared their recognition of Palestinian statehood.

This development comes after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal had already announced their acknowledgment of Palestine’s right to statehood. The declaration was made during a high-level summit on Palestine convened by France and Saudi Arabia, where Macron emphasized the urgency of safeguarding the two-state solution.

“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,” Macron said in his address.

He further outlined a post-war roadmap for Gaza, proposing the establishment of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to support the Palestinian Authority in administering the territory.

Currently, 147 out of 193 United Nations member states have formally recognised Palestine. Macron also condemned the October 7 attacks, stressing that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved through two states coexisting side by side.

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Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly is underway in New York, where world leaders are scheduled to deliver speeches addressing key regional and global issues.

Meanwhile, Israeli army has killed over 65,300 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, have been killed, with 166,575 injured. An estimated 11,000 bodies are believed to remain trapped under the rubble.