France recognizes state of Palestine as UNGA summit kicks off
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Nations push for the recognition of Palestine at the UNGA International Conference on a "two-state solution", stating that peace starts at this conference amid Israeli and US objections.
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French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a high-profile meeting at the United Nations aimed at galvanizing support for a "two-state solution" to the Palestinian question, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
The United Nations General Assembly summit for the recognition of a Palestinian State has kicked off, with France, among many others, recognizing a Palestinian State during the event, in what they call a push for peace under the "two-state solution".
Opening the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the "Two-State Solution" at the United Nations in New York on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron stated, "The time for peace has come, as we are just moments away from no longer being able to seize it."
Macron announced France's recognition of a Palestinian state, a long-anticipated move he defended as being in the interest of peace despite criticism from "Israel" and the United States. "France today recognizes a State of Palestine," Macron stated at the General Assembly while the Palestinian delegation led an ovation, noting that with this step, he was propping up "peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples."
Calling for the release of the Israeli captives, the French president added that "the time has come to stop the war, the bombings of Gaza, the massacres, and the displacement." He conditioned the possible opening of a French embassy in the Palestinian state on the release of the Israeli captives currently in Gaza and a ceasefire.
In his UN speech that endorsed the recognition of a Palestinian state, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to continue his fight against antisemitism following criticism from both "Israel" and the United States, describing it as an "existential fight".
Macron added, "We have a historic responsibility today to chart the path for peace and preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, and the time for that has come," adding that waiting to recognize a Palestinian state was no longer productive, stressing that "Israel" has an absolute duty to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the Gaza Strip.
Saudi Arabia calls on all nations to follow suit
Separately, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan thanked the countries that have recognized a Palestinian state, calling the "Two-State Solution" conference a "historic opportunity to achieve peace." Bin Farhan called for all countries to follow the example of Western nations in recognizing a Palestinian state.
"We call on all other countries to take a similar historic step that will have a great impact on supporting the efforts towards implementation of the two-state solution," he stated during the UN conference.
Guterres disappointed at barring Palestinian delegation from attending
On his part, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, expressed his disappointment that the Palestinian delegation was prevented from attending the session with full representation, reiterating his call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the release of captives, and the entry of aid into the enclave.
The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, also insisted that "Israel" is obligated to enable humanitarian access for Palestinians. She added that the current message is one of resilience, with the international community now developing a schedule of concrete steps to secure peace.
This is a developing story...
