LAST UPDATE | 22 Sep

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has strongly urged countries who have yet to recognise the state of Palestine “to give it serious consideration”.

France became the latest country to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today.

“France today recognises a State of Palestine,” President Emmanuel Macron told the UN summit. 

They have followed the UK, Canada, Portugal and Australia, who became the latest states to recognise Palestine yesterday.

The Palestinian Authority hailed the formal recognition by Macron as an “historic and courageous decision”.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressing the UN conference this afternoon. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Today, Macron hosted a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman on the possibility of a two-state solution that would see Israel and Palestine existing side by side with agreed borders.

He also said he would make the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 attack on Israel a precondition of opening an embassy in Palestine. 

Speaking at the high level conference, Martin commended the countries that had chosen to recognise the state of Palestine. 

“At this most critical juncture, we must continue to put our full political weight behind” the implementation of a two-state solution, said the Taoiseach.

“The situation on the ground has rarely looked so bleak – a just and lasting peace seems further away than it ever has,” he added. 

“But, in our own peace process in Northern Ireland, we recognised that, even in the darkest of days, we have a duty as leaders to keep the flame of hope alive.

“The immense suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza over the past two years has been affront to the world. It has horrified people around the world, nowhere more than in Ireland, where people have been moved to sorrow and to anger,” said Martin. 

The Taoiseach condemned what happened in the October 7th attacks, calling it a “horrific and brutal attack on an innocent civilian population”, but told the UN conference that it cannot justify what has happened since. 

Taoiseach speaking at the High Level Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution at the United Nations. UN UN

He said genocide is being carried out in front of the eyes of the world.

“It would be easy to just despair. But we must not. Gaza must inspire us to action,” said the Taoiseach. 

“If we do not move now to protect the two-state solution if we do not work to build a process through which it can be achieved, there may never be another opportunity. 

“That must not be our legacy to future generations.” 

Earlier in the day when speaking to reporters, Martin said the Israeli government had “clearly had genocidal intent from day one”. 

He said the situation in Gaza is “very, very bleak”. 

“The approach of prime minister Netanyahu is absolutely shocking. He seems to be plunging Gaza further and further into the abyss.”

Reacting to the announcements of recognition by France, the UK, Canada and Australia in recent days, Netanyahu said it amounted to a “reward” for Hamas.

Netanyahu also said there would be “no Palestinian state west of the Jordan”.

Speaking at the start of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that there were two imminent diplomatic opportunities to exert pressure on Israel – a vote by EU countries on a trade sanctions package and a meeting between Arab states and President Trump due to take place tomorrow.

“What could be really, really helpful now is if European countries actually voted to take economic action against Israel, and that could change the calculus,” he said.

“I think the second thing that could be important this week is a meeting that Arab states are due to have with the President of the United States on Tuesday, I believe, having discussed this with some Arab states yesterday.

“President Trump is somebody who has said he doesn’t like war. He said he likes peace, and well he has a chance to show it. And I think there’s a real opportunity here.

“If President Trump can listen and engage with the Arab states, you can actually have a viable plan for a two-state solution that doesn’t involve Hamas or any other horrific, illegal terrorist organisation.

“If he can do that, and if Europe can take economic action, I think there are two concrete moves that could be taken, or that we could at least build a bit of momentum towards.”

With reporting from AFP and Christina Finn in New York