1 of 4 | French President Emmanuel Macron attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 18. On Monday, Macron formally recognized a Palestinian state during an international peace summit speech in New York City, stating, "We can no longer wait." The announcement was made one day before the start of the 80th U.N. General Assembly. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- France and Saudi Arabia held an international peace summit Monday in New York City, one day before the start of the 80th U.N. General Assembly, where French President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders formally recognized a Palestinian state.
Macron made the announcement about a two-state solution during his speech Monday evening, saying, "We can no longer wait" to stop the violence and secure peace. Macron called for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas nearly two years after the Oct. 7, attacks that killed 1,200.
"The time has come to free the 48 hostages detained by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombing of Gaza, the massacres and the fleeing people. The time has come because there's a pressing urgency everywhere," Macron said, as he vowed that recognizing Palestine would not take away Israel's rights.
