Six new countries, including France, officially recognize the State of Palestine

France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco and Andorra officially recognized the state of Palestine on Monday, a day after similar recognitions by Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal, as leaders and representatives at the “Two-State Solution” conference in New York took turns condemning what they called Israel’s near-two-year-long campaign in the Gaza Strip.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country’s formal recognition of the state of Palestine in remarks opening the high-level international conference for a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and implementation of the two-state solution, held at United Nations headquarters in New York on Monday evening.

Macron said that “we can no longer wait to recognize the Palestinian state,” and added, “We bear a collective responsibility for our failure so far to build a just peace in the Middle East.”

The French president noted that the promise to establish an Arab state in Palestine has not yet been fulfilled, and that there is a duty to map a path to peace in the Middle East and do everything possible to preserve the viability of a two-state solution.

He said Israel continues operations in Gaza with the declared aim of destroying the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), yet the lives of thousands of Gazans are still being destroyed. “There is no justification for what is happening in Gaza and the war must end to save lives,” he added.

At the same time, he expressed sympathy for Israelis and called for the unconditional release of prisoners held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden announced his country’s formal recognition of the state of Palestine. Frieden said in his speech at the conference that “the two-state solution remains the only way forward on the path to lasting peace.”

Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela also announced his country’s formal recognition of the state of Palestine in remarks to the international conference.

Prince Albert II of Monaco likewise announced formal recognition of the state of Palestine. In similar remarks he said, “We wish to recognize the state of Palestine under international law. Peace must not remain an unattainable dream, and a two-state solution with two states living side by side will bring stability to the region.”

Belgium also announced recognition of the state of Palestine. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said in his speech, “Israeli settlement, the military operation to gain full control of the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli government’s declaration that there is no Palestinian state are all additional reasons that push us to declare our recognition of a Palestinian state.”

Andorra’s Foreign Minister Ema Tor Faus announced from the United Nations that her country formally recognizes the state of Palestine.

With the six recognitions announced on Monday, the number of states recognizing the state of Palestine rises to more than 150 of the 193 UN member states, since the late President Yasser Arafat declared its establishment from Algiers in 1988.