France and five other nations have formally recognised the State of Palestine, joining a growing international chorus demanding justice and self-determination for Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.
At a high-level summit co-convened by France and Saudi Arabia in New York on Monday — just ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) — France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco announced their recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The move brings the total number of countries recognising Palestine to more than 150, representing over 80 percent of the international community.
Leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom — which formally recognised Palestine a day earlier, — also addressed the summit, signalling a shift among Western nations long hesitant to extend formal recognition.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered his remarks via video after reportedly being denied a visa by the US administration under President Donald Trump. Abbas praised the newly recognising states for "standing on the right side of history" amid what he described as a "genocidal war on Gaza."
According to the latest figures, over 65,300 Palestinians have been killed, and much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble since the Israeli offensive began.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in New York and ready to attend the UNGA session and a closely-watched multilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and leaders of several key Muslim countries later today.
Last year, Spain, Norway, and Ireland took similar steps, with Spain also imposing sanctions on Israel over its actions in Gaza a move that further increased diplomatic pressure on Tel Aviv.
Despite overwhelming support in the General Assembly, Palestine’s bid for full UN membership remains blocked by the United States, which has repeatedly used its veto power at the UN Security Council to prevent the move.
