Mahmoud Abbas

1 of 4 | French President Emmanuel Macron attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 18. On Monday, Macron formally recognized a Palestinian state during an international peace summit speech in New York City, stating, “We can no longer wait.” The announcement was made one day before the start of the 80th U.N. General Assembly. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 22 (UPI) — France and Saudi Arabia held an international peace summit Monday in New York City, one day before the start of the 80th U.N. General Assembly, where French President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders formally recognized a Palestinian state.

Macron made the announcement about a two-state solution during his speech Monday evening, saying, “We can no longer wait” to stop the violence and secure peace. Macron called for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas nearly two years after the Oct. 7, attacks that killed 1,200.

“The time has come to free the 48 hostages detained by Hamas. The time has come to stop the war, the bombing of Gaza, the massacres and the fleeing people. The time has come because there’s a pressing urgency everywhere,” Macron said, as he vowed that recognizing Palestine would not take away Israel’s rights.

“The time has come for Israel to live in peace and security,” Macron said. “The time has come to give justice to the Palestinian people and to recognize the state of Palestine.”

France joins the UK, Canada and Australia in recognizing a Palestinian state, along with Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino.

Australia, Britain, Canada and Portugal made their own declarations Sunday.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called Monday’s peace summit with Saudi Arabia “a milestone for peace and a major diplomatic victory” nearly two years after a Hamas attack on Israel sent the region spiraling into war.

“France’s plan … aims for a two-state solution and includes concrete steps to prepare for the immediate post-war period … so that an international stabilization mission can come to Gaza to ensure the protection of both Palestinians and Israelis,” Barrot told French broadcaster TF1, according to a translation by CNN.

With Sunday’s announcements, more than 150 nations now recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. This doesn’t include G7 members Germany, Italy or the United States. Israel and the United States are expected to boycott Sunday’s summit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit out at the nations expressing their preference for a two-state solution Sunday, saying, “there will be no Palestinian state.” Netanyahu argued recognition of a Palestinian state would give “a huge reward to terrorism.”

Two unnamed sources told The Telegraph that the Israeli government is considering options for retaliating against France for recognizing Palestine, including possibly closing France’s consulate in Jerusalem.

The U.N. General Assembly on Friday voted 145-5 in favor of a motion to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the international body this week in New York. Israel and the United States voted against the motion.

President Donald Trump will be in New York tomorrow, to mark the 80th anniversary of the UN’s General Assembly founding.

1 of 2 | Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir greets followers after praying on the Temple Mount, the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, on the Jewish day of fasting, Tisha B’Av, in Jerusalem’s Old City, on Sunday. Ben Gvir’s prayer broke a decades old agreement that allows Jews to visit the site, but not to pray. Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI | License Photo

Aug. 3 (UPI) — Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and prayed there over the weekend, breaking a longstanding agreement that allows Jews to visit the site, but not pray.

The site, located in occupied East Jerusalem, is known by Jews as the Temple Mount, and Ben–Gvir’s prayer prompted a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office affirming that there has been no change in the decades-old agreement.

Jordan, the site’s custodian, called Ben-Gvir’s actions “an unacceptable provocation.” Hamas called it a “deepening of the ongoing aggressions against our Palestinian people.” A spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the visit “crossed all red lines.”

During his visit, Ben-Gvir called for Israel to “conquer” Gaza and encouraged Palestinians to leave the embattled region.

Temple Mount is the most holy place for Jews as it is the site of two Biblical temples. It is the third most holy site for Muslims, who claim it is where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

The Waqf, the Islamic endowment that runs this site, said Ben-Gvir was one of 1,250 Jews who visited the compound Sunday morning.

Ben-Gvir has been convicted of supporting terrorism and inciting anti-Arab racism in Israel in the past.