NEW YORK — Rallying behind the recognition of Palestinian statehood, France and Saudi Arabia chaired a meeting on Monday at the United Nations in New York City ahead of the General Assembly.
The effort had the support of about three-fourths of the 193-member U.N. French President Emmanuel Macron said this would “pave the way for peace” with a new Palestinian Authority.
U.S. and Israeli diplomats boycotted the meeting.
“True to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, this is why I declare that today, France recognizes the state of Palestine,” Macron said.
Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, stood up and applauded. Diplomats from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia were among the U.S. allies who supported the recognition.
Antonio Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, said statehood “is a right, not a reward.”
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was traveling to New York City on Monday night and was set to deliver his fifth address to the U.N. assembly on Tuesday morning.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long opposed a two-state solution to the Israel-Hamas war.
“Hamas are not agents of peace, but agents of terror and barbarism. They are still holding 48 hostages and using civilians as human shields. Let me be clear, as long as Hamas exists, there will never be peace in this region,” State Secretary Marco Rubio said earlier this month.
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