'The time has come': Four countries recognise Palestinian state at UN summit
'The time has come': Four countries recognise Palestinian state at UN summit
Four European countries chose to unconditionally recognise Palestinian statehood in New York on Monday at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with three other European countries saying they would recognise it at a future date once certain criteria had been established.
France, Malta, Luxembourg, and Monaco formally recognised Palestinian sovereignty during the "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution" conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
Belgium, meanwhile, said it would conditionally recognise it after Hamas released Israeli captives and was removed from any governing position. Denmark and the Netherlands said they would recognise Palestine at a later date following the fulfilment of certain conditions.
Dignitaries from more than 30 countries spoke in support of a Palestinian state, with leaders from eight countries that had recognised it on Sunday and Monday garnering applause during their speeches.
Even before the conference started, it was clear French president Emmanuel Macron was the centre of attention. Macron couldn’t take a step towards the stage without being interceded by a throng of delegates lining his path, enthusiastically shaking his hand or hugging or kissing him.
Macron opened the conference with a speech orbiting around the theme of “the time has come”.
“The time has come because the urgency is everywhere,” he said. “The time for peace has come because we are only moments away from no longer being able to seize it. That is why we are here today. Some will say it is too late, others will say it is too soon. One thing is certain, we can no longer wait.”
He said that while the Israelis had established “a vibrant democracy”, the “promise of an Arab state, however, remains unfulfilled”.
“The truth is that we bear the collective responsibility for having so far failed to build a just and lasting peace in the Near East,” he added.
Macron also made a nod to the much-loved Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish, saying, “This recognition is a way of affirming that the Palestinian people are not a people who are surplus to requirements. That on the contrary, they are a people who never say farewell to anything, to borrow the words of Mahmoud Darwish.”
Hi speech elicited a standing ovation from the floor.
Global impunity
Macron was followed by Saudi foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, who spoke in place of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Saud expressed concerns over the selective use of international law and international humanitarian law.
“Our world today is witnessing many crises exacerbated by the satisfaction of managing them without finding practical solutions to address them,” he said. “This is due to the laxity of practical international efforts and selectivity in implementing international law and international humanitarian law. This has resulted in the expansion of the circle of violence and conflicts and the threat to the principles of international legitimacy.”
He said adherence to the principles and foundations set by the UN Charter was required.
Al-Saud added that Saudi Arabia rejected and condemned Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinian people, which a chorus of international experts and scholars concludes is a genocide. Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since its war on Gaza began with the majority of those killed women and children.
“The recent attacks against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip represent just one chapter in the decades-long suffering of the Palestinians,” he said. “Since last year, brutal Israeli actions have resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, predominantly women and children, through systematic bombings, killings, destruction, and imposed starvation,” he said.
He added that global impunity was encouraging Israel to continue its war, calling for the stability of Lebanon to be protected.
What is the alternative to a two-state solution?
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres expressed his disappointment at the Palestinian delegation being denied the opportunity to be fully represented after being denied visas to attend the historic UNGA.
Guterres questioned what an alternative to a two-state solution might be.
“A one-state scenario where Palestinians are denied basic rights? Expelled from their homes and their land. Forced to live under perpetual occupation, discrimination and subjugation? How is this possible in the 21st century? How is it acceptable? This is neither peace nor justice. It will only increase the growing isolation of Israel on the global stage. Let's be clear: Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward.”
Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas joined the conference through video link in the occupied West Bank after the General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution enabling him to speak by video.
He called for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Hamas to disarm.
“What we want is a state with one law and one legitimate security force,” Abbas said.
Many other member states also spoke about the need for the removal of Hamas as an important measure for a future Palestinian state. All lamented the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Gaza at the hands of Israel.
The US and Israel chose to boycott the summit.
Canada, Australia, the UK and Portugal all formally recognised Palestinian statehood on Sunday, the day before the General Assembly started.
Prior to Macron’s announcement in July that he would recognise a state of Palestine at UNGA, 147 UN member states had already recognised Palestine as a sovereign nation.
