“The time has come because the emergency is everywhere,” he said. “The time for peace is now, because it will soon be too late to grab the moment.”
Macron has led a diplomat push in recent months to get countries to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations annual get-together, seeking to ramp up pressure for peace as Israel intensified its ground offensive in Gaza. On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia all recognized a Palestinian state. Other European countries including Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino and Monaco are expected to follow suit.
Monday’s Palestine conference was co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, but in a last-minute change Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not deliver a video address; he was replaced by the Saudi foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan.
Farhan condemned “Israel’s brutal crimes” against the Palestinians and called on other countries to follow France’s lead.
The success of the French president’s lobbying for recognition of a Palestinian state has put Macron in the limelight this week and is seen as a diplomatic victory for the embattled leader, even if it has put in him in the crosshairs of Israel and the U.S. Tensions have been mounting between France and Israel in particular, with the latter threatening retaliatory action against Paris.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, hit back at those who say Israel is increasingly isolated on the international stage. “A large majority of the British, French and Canadian public are against the recognition of a Palestinian terror state. We appreciate that. Israel is not isolated, not at all.”