'It's time for peace': France hopes to pressure Israel as it leads Palestinian state recognitions

French President balances empathy for Israel with understanding of Palestinian nationalism

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and French President Emmanuel Macron at the two-state solution conference at UN headquarters, New York, on September 22. AP Photo

In a historic speech in front of the UN General Assembly on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron described his recognition of Palestine, which was joined by that of 11 other states, as a move that will bring peace to the region.

“The time for peace has come,” Mr Macron said to applause in the crowded chamber. “Some might say it’s too late. Other might say it’s too early. But one thing is certain, we can no longer wait.”

Mr Macron has faced fierce opposition to recognition from Israel and the US, which boycotted the event, and in the past days in France from some leading Jewish voices who say it is a gift to Hamas.

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In apparent acknowledgement of such criticism, Mr Macron opened his speech by highlighting his empathy for the trauma caused in Israel by the "cruelty of Hamas".

He balanced empathy for Israel with understanding of Palestinian nationalism, using a quote from famed Palestinian author Mahmoud Darwish about his people "who never say goodbye to anything".

The hope is that if enough countries recognise Palestine, Israel and the US will understand the need to end the war in Gaza as a first step towards regional peace. Israeli threats to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation may only lead to more conflict, leaders warned.

"Let’s be clear: statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said. “Denying statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere.”

Mr Macron, welcoming efforts made by Qatar, Egypt and the US to reach a ceasefire, said: "Nothing justifies the ongoing war in Gaza, nothing. I ask Israel to do nothing more that would thwart these efforts from coming to fruition. Hamas was vanquished on the military front … it must also be vanquished politically to be truly dismantled.”

The war and hardship in Gaza must end as soon as possible, French President Emmanuel Macron said. EPA

The only way out of conflict is for Israelis to "recognise the humanity" of Palestinians and vice versa, Mr Macron said. Both people live in solitude, he said: "The solitude of the Israelis following the historic nightmare of October 7, 2023; and the solitude of Palestinians at their wits' end in the face of this ceaseless war."

String of announcements

As expected, a string of western states followed the French President's diplomatic effort, with the last-minute additions of Monaco and Denmark. Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal made announcements on Sunday and were followed on Monday by Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra.

Although most of the world recognises Palestine, western states remain the biggest holdout. France and the UK bring with them the diplomatic weight of their status as permanent representatives of the UN Security Council.

Israel has reacted with fury, saying that Palestinian recognition is a "gift to Hamas". Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon described the conference as “theatre”, saying it would do little to change reality in the Palestinian territories.

The US has supported Israel's position and denied visas to Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas. In a speech given by video-link, Mr Abbas called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and urged international backing for a reconstruction plan led by his Palestinian Authority.

Now, states must move beyond symbolism towards a concrete political solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, said Hiba Qasas, the Palestinian convenor of a coalition of more than 500 Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

“France and Saudi Arabia with 143 other states are shaping a serious regional vision, and we need the United States at the table,” Ms Qasas told The National after meeting Mr Macron in New York, along with other members of Israeli and Palestinian civil society.

"Preserving a two-state solution is essential for both peoples and for regional stability: end the war and release all hostage; prevent annexation and forced displacement; and advance a regional political and security framework with a non-militarised Palestinian state and enforceable security guarantees."