‘The time has come,’ Macron tells landmark UN conference as slew of countries recognize Palestine
NEW YORK: President Emmanuel Macron received a long standing ovation on Monday as he formally announced France’s recognition of the State of Palestine, calling it a “historic and necessary” step to end the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish a durable peace in the Middle East.
Speaking at the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, he declared that “the time has come” to end the war in Gaza, free the remaining 48 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and revive the two-state solution.
“We’ve gathered here because the time has come ... The time for peace has come because we’re just a few moments away from no longer being able to seize peace,” Macron said.
“There are hundreds of thousands of people who’ve been displaced, injured, famished, traumatized,” he added.
