Israel Gaza war: In a major setback to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, as many as 14 countries have opened a united front against the Jewish nation, warning that they will proceed to recognize the Palestine as an independent state if Tel Aviv does not end its hostilities in the war-torn region, especially in the embattled Gaza Strip.
According to media reports, the foreign ministers of Andorra, Canada, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain, in a joint statement, said the countries will submit the proposal in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, if Israel continues its military operation in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot shared the joint statement on his social media handles, terming it as a “momentous decision” to end the “endless cycle of violence in Gaza. The French minister revealed that he has invited other countries to sign the proposal to recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign country, hinting that more nations could join the front in coming days to add pressure on Israel
The joint statement of foreign ministers shared by France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs condemned the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, and demanded an immediate ceasefire, and the unconditional release of all hostages by the Palestinian armed group.
The statement expressed grave concern “over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasize the essential role of the United Nations and its agencies in facilitating humanitarian assistance”, and reiterated their “unwavering commitment” to implementing the two-State solution to resolve Israel-Palestine conflict.
They urged all countries to establish normal relations with Israel, but noted that the war in Gaza must be stopped for that to happen.
The countries also expressed their determination to work on an architecture for the “day after” in Gaza which includes the reconstruction of the war-ravaged Strip, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from any future Palestinian governance.
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