"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here because the time has come. The time has come to free the 48 hostages held by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombings in Gaza, the massacres, and the fleeing of the population. The time for peace has come, because we are just moments away from not being able to achieve it. Some will say it is too late, others will say it is too soon, but one thing is certain: we cannot wait any longer."
With these words, French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated on Monday the Conference for the two States, sponsored by his country, along with Saudi Arabia, within the framework of the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations. An initiative that led to the recognition, tonight (Madrid time) and in that context, of the Palestinian State by France and half a dozen countries. And on Sunday it was already done by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal.
Abu Mazen applauds Macron, connected via video conference.E.M.
This move has outraged the United States and infuriated Israel, which threatens immediate retaliation in Cisjordania. This represents the biggest shake-up in a long time to a long-standing drama within the organization's corridors. "It is a point of no return, the only way to a just and lasting peace," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warning that there is no alternative and the current situation will lead to "Israel's isolation."
"In 1947, this assembly decided to divide Mandatory Palestine between two States, one Jewish and the other Arab, thus recognizing the right of each and every one to self-determination. The international community thus consecrated the State of Israel, finally fulfilling the destiny of this people, who after thousands of years wandering, were able to found a beautiful democracy. However, the promise of the Arab State has not materialized to this day. Since then, there has been a long path of mixed hope and despair, traveled by Israelis and Palestinians each in their own way, and we have walked alongside them, each of us according to our history and sensitivity. But the truth is that we have the collective responsibility of not having succeeded in building a just and lasting peace in the Middle East," Macron added.
"A historical responsibility falls on us. We must do everything possible to preserve the possibility of a two-State solution, and today that moment has arrived. Therefore, faithful to my country's historical commitment to the Middle East, France recognizes today the State of Palestine," he announced amid a huge ovation.
Washington and Tel Aviv boycotted the meeting, voted against it, and vetoed resolutions in recent weeks calling for a two-State solution. They have tried to bring as many members as possible to their side. But on this issue, they are in a dwindling minority. It has not been only France. Today, Monaco, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg are also joining, understanding that this is the only way to break the current deadlock, to stop Netanyahu, to find a way out. Over the years, the same has been attempted over and over again, in a thousand different ways, and it has not worked. So the solution - if there is one - will have to come from something new.
"I understand your fears and hesitations, I understand your sadness and fatigue," Macron said, but there is no alternative for a peace plan that involves - although it is not clear how - removing Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip. "I call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and full and unrestricted humanitarian access. Nothing justifies what is happening in Cisjordania, the impeccable expansion of settlements, the violence of the settlers, the constant threat of annexation. The situation is legally, morally, and politically unsustainable," added Secretary-General Guterres.
The conference marks the beginning of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly and is the focal point of the entire week. There are thousands of events planned, covering all kinds of topics, from millennium goals to artificial intelligence, conflicts, famines, and tragedies on various continents. But the political weight lies in the Palestinian issue. Benjamin Netanyahu will not address the Assembly until Friday, after meeting privately with Trump, and protests on the streets will concentrate on that day, but the event organized for months by France and Saudi Arabia is the main one.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, speaking on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, thanked the countries that have taken the "historic step" of recognizing the Palestinian State and spoke of "a new reality where the region can enjoy peace, prosperity, and stability." Similarly, Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen, speaking from Ramallah after Washington did not authorize his trip to the UN General Assembly, called for the release of hostages, condemned Hamas's actions, and stated that if the peace plan materializes, the terrorist group will have no weapons or power. He promised elections and a new Constitution within a year after the fighting ends. "Our future and yours depend on peace. Enough of war. May the people of our region live in lasting peace and good neighborliness," he said, addressing the Israeli population, while wishing a happy new year to all Jews around the world.
Macron has arrived in New York with a markedly different tone, inevitably leading analysts and diplomats to compare him to the moment Dominique de Villepin had in 2003 against the George Bush government over the Iraq war. France has been laying the groundwork for months and days, acclimating the American public to a different language. "If we want peace and security for everyone in the region, we must preserve the condition of a political perspective for all" and that "simply killing as many Hamas members as possible cannot be the only solution," the French president said on television this Sunday. That same day, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia announced coordinated recognition, causing another storm in the Anglo-Saxon world. Israel's response has been threats of retaliation over Cisjordania.
"Does it make sense or not to recognize the State of Palestine? When the very existence of its people has been denied for decades, when today it is threatened, recognition is a stance and a shield. It does not stand alone in a vacuum. It is an integral part of affirming the rights of a people who are denied all rights. It does not deny, but rather highlights the need for further action to save Palestine and its people, and to achieve peace. It is a reminder that the Palestinian people have the right to freedom. That simple. And that freedom and justice are the only path to peace," reacted on Monday Ambassador Majed Bamya, number two of the delegation to the UN and one of the few who will be present, after the US denied a visa to President Abu Mazen and his team. The Palestinian president has demanded on Monday, thanks to the support of so many new countries, to be accepted at the UN as a full-fledged State, leaving behind the observer status he currently holds.
"We all recognize Israel's right to self-defense, even beyond its borders, but it is clear that what is happening goes beyond that", stated the President of the European Council in a conversation with some media minutes before his intervention in the plenary hall. "The majority of the European Union Member States already recognize Palestine as an independent State. And we are all particularly shocked by the images coming from Gaza, but we cannot forget what is happening now in the West Bank and the development of illegal settlements there. Our position, from the beginning, has been very clear. We strongly condemn Hamas' terrorist attacks and recognize Israel's legitimate right to self-defense, even beyond its borders, but now it is evident that what is happening goes beyond that right. It is time for a ceasefire, to stop the destruction in Gaza, to stop the loss of human lives, and to open up space for an effective two-state solution, because this is the only solution that can bring stability and lasting peace to the region."
Germany is in the middle, caught between its past, its ghosts, and increasing pressure. Chancellor Merz has avoided going to New York to not participate in the Assembly. Instead, the former German Foreign Minister and current President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, who started her intervention by quoting letters from Palestinian children, rubble in destroyed schools, and continued with victims of Hamas. "We want peace," she insisted. "Humanity is not taking sides, it is recognizing that all lives are equally valuable and important. We need a permanent ceasefire now," she urged, emphasizing that what is being asked for "is a right, not a reward."