France and Five Other Countries Recognize Palestinian State Ahead of UN Assembly International Desk | PNN

International Desk | PNN

Ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly, six countries, including France, announced the recognition of the Palestinian state during a high-level conference held in New York.

The conference, jointly organized with Saudi Arabia, saw France along with Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco officially recognize the Palestinian state. Earlier, Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom had also decided to recognize Palestine.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the conference, “The time is now. We must make every effort to preserve the prospects of a two-state solution. Today, I announce that France recognizes the Palestinian state.”

Out of the 193 UN member countries, approximately 147 had already recognized the Palestinian state. With the new recognitions, over 80 percent of the international community now acknowledges Palestine as a sovereign state.

This move has increased diplomatic pressure on Israel, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Gaza, where more than 65,000 Palestinians have already been killed and the region has been reduced to ruins.

Last year, Spain, Norway, and Ireland recognized Palestine, with Spain even imposing sanctions on Israel due to the Gaza conflict.