United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed on Monday that “statehood for Palestinians is a right, not a reward,” urging member states to stand firm behind the two-state solution to resolve the long standing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Guterres stressed that peace in the Middle East was impossible without two sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, coexisting within secure, internationally recognized borders. “Denying statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere,” he warned, underlining that the Palestinian right to self determination was grounded in international law and UN resolutions.
In a significant diplomatic shift, French President Emmanuel Macron announced France’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine, joining Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, all of which made similar declarations a day earlier. Macron said the move was meant to preserve the viability of the two-state solution and described recognition as “the only path to lasting peace for Israel and Palestine.”
The announcements follow the UNGA’s recent resolution endorsing a two-state solution, which passed with 142 votes in favour, including India. More than 140 countries worldwide have now recognised Palestine.
Israel strongly condemned the decisions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Western leaders of “rewarding terror,” vowing that no Palestinian state would be established “west of the Jordan.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry also rejected the recognition, arguing that statehood must be a “final status issue” tied to security guarantees and denouncing the Palestinian Authority’s role in incitement.
Despite Israel’s objections, the momentum for recognition has gathered pace. Analysts say the recognition by G7 members like France and the UK could mark a turning point in international diplomacy on the Israel-Palestine conflict.