France and 14 other countries have co-signed a declaration that suggests a wave of future recognitions of an independent Palestinian state could take place in the coming months.
The signatories include Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino, each of which has not yet recognized an independent Palestinian state. They also include Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, which have. Emmanuel Macron last week said that France would recognize Palestinian statehood in the near future.
The statement, which was published before the conclusion of a three-day UN conference set on reviving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also said the states would “reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognised borders”.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said this week that he wanted to time a recognition of Palestinian statehood to help deliver a breakthrough in negotiations. Canadian state media have also reported that the government under the prime minister, Mark Carney, is also weighing whether to recognize Palestinian statehood but that no decision has yet been made. The remarks come amid growing pressure on Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza.
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