France, 14 other countries urge recognition of Palestinian state
PARIS: France and 14 other Western nations called on countries worldwide to move to recognize a Palestinian state, France's top diplomat said Wednesday. The foreign ministers of 15 countries late Tuesday issued a joint statement following a conference in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving a two-state solution between Zionists and the Palestinians. 'In New York, together with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our desire to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us,' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X.
President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognize Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Zionist entity and the United States. France is hoping to build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognize the State of Palestine in September unless Zionist entity takes various 'substantive steps', including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Starmer's move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In the statement, 15 nations including Spain, Norway, and Finland affirmed their 'unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution.' Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognized the Palestinian state expressed 'the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries' to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Hamas urged to disarm
Meanwhile, Arab countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory. Seventeen countries plus the European Union and Arab League threw their weight behind a seven-page text agreed at a United Nations conference on reviving the two-state solution for Zionists and the Palestinians.
'In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State,' said the declaration. It followed a call Monday by the Palestinian delegation at the United Nations for both Zionists and Hamas to leave Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to administer the coastal territory. The text also condemned the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks against Zionist entity, something the UN General Assembly has yet to do.
France, which co-chaired the conference with Saudi Arabia, called the declaration 'both historic and unprecedented.' 'For the first time, Arab countries and those in the Middle East condemn Hamas, condemn October 7, call for the disarmament of Hamas, call for its exclusion from Palestinian governance, and clearly express their intention to normalize relations with Zionist entity in the future,' said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. The text, co-signed by France, Britain and Canada among other western nations, also called for the possible deployment of foreign forces to stabilize Gaza after the end of hostilities. Zionist entity and its ally the United States did not take part in the meeting.
21 months of war
The document was issued at the second day of the conference in New York at which Britain announced it may recognize a Palestinian state in September. For decades, most of the global body's members have supported a two-state solution with Zionist entity and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side. But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and Zionist officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible.
The current war in Gaza started after the Hamas attacks on Zionist entity, in which more than 1,200 people were killed. Zionist entity responded with large-scale military action that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and destroyed most infrastructure in the enclave. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the meeting Monday 'the two-state solution is farther than ever before.'
In a statement issued late Tuesday, 15 Western nations including France and Spain, affirmed their 'unwavering support to the vision of the two-state solution.' Among the signatories, nine that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state expressed 'willingness or positive consideration of their countries' to do so: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino.- AFP
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Those who try to obscure it do so out of ignorance. That said, the discussion about attitudes toward the Gulf and its people applies to various circles, but it is unfair to paint all artists and creatives with the same brush. Ziad Rahbani, despite the many wise, humorous, emotional, and sometimes biased or absurd quotes attributed to him, was not a thinker, writer, or lecturer, nor was he known for being deeply educated or culturally intelligent. He was, above all, an artist who breathed music as naturally as he breathed air. For over forty years, he enriched the lives of millions with works that remain timeless. That is what he should be remembered for, not his political stances or leftist leanings. After all, Laila Murad was Jewish, yet her voice captured the hearts of generations. The brothers Saleh and Daoud Al-Kuwaiti, who later immigrated to Israel, were also Jewish. Their different origins or religions never stood in the way of enjoying their timeless artistic heritage. 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But this American 'cowboy', within just two or three decades, attained the highest levels of knowledge and progress in all fields, and had the biggest influence in Europe in security and finance, as well as became most successful in winning countless awards in all fields of creativity, setting an example for oppressed peoples worldwide, before circumstances changed. We must admit that the Gulf suffers from cultural scarcity, a lack of creativity, and cultural poverty. However, we are better today than we were yesterday, and we will be far better tomorrow. Combating or responding to the ideologies represented by figures like Zaydan, Adonis, Al-Aswany, and others doesn't mean boycotting their works or attacking them. It means striving to become pioneers in literature, leaders in art, and guardians of culture. This goal cannot be achieved without providing an atmosphere that is rich in freedom. For years, Kuwait and Lebanon stood out as the most creative hubs in the region due to well-known reasons. But how can we truly support literature, culture, and thought when censors scrutinize every breath of creative persons, when the publication of Al-Arabi, which was Kuwait's cultural flagship for over half a century, is suspended, and when the printing of Alam Al- Maarifa and similar publications is banned? We have succeeded in buying almost everything with our wealth, but culture and intellectual creativity cannot be purchased. They must be nurtured, cultivated, and allowed to grow; only then can we reap their fruits. What will remain in the memory of history, dear Saad, are not Ziad's stances on the Gulf states, his views on Nasrallah, or his support for Assad, but rather his timeless artistic contributions such as 'Give my regards to him,' 'How are you?,' 'On the roar of the bus,' 'I'm writing your name, my love,' 'Miss the gazelle,' 'Joy has come,' 'Since he is,' and many more.
