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Macron's adviser says Oct 7 'would not have happened' if there was a Palestinian state
French President Emmanuel Macron's advisor and envoy for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, Ofer Bronchtein, has said that the Hamas onslaught of October could have been avoided if a Palestinian state had existed.
'Everyone for 40 years has been talking about the two-state solution. It angers me that people say we encourage terror. Perhaps because there was no Palestinian state, October 7 happened," Bronchtein said.
Macron on Thursday has announced that the country will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, angering many Israeli leaders.
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The president said that a formal announcement on the same would be made at a United Nations General Assembly session. 'The urgent need today is for the war in Gaza to end and for the civilian population to be rescued. Peace is possible. We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,' Macron wrote.
While Palestinian leaders and Hamas welcomed the move, it drew strong condemnation from Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it a 'reward for terror'.
US reacts
US State Secretary Marco Rubio criticised France's move by saying, 'The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th."
Israel condemns Macron's announcement
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision 'rewards terror' and posed an existential threat, providing a 'launch pad to annihilate' Israel.
'Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,' he added.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was equally scathing, claiming that 'a Palestinian state will be a Hamas state', referring to the Palestinian militants who attacked Israel in 2023, triggering the war in Gaza.
With inputs from agencies
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Indian Express
12 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on African Union, Khmer Kingdom and more (Week 121)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on International Relations to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at With reference to the African Union (AU), consider the following statements: 1. The AU's secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Nairobi. 2. The official languages of the Union and all its institutions are only Arabic and French. 3. It was officially established in 2002 as the successor of the Organisation of African Unity. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — The African Union (AU) is an intergovernmental organisation of the 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. — It was officially established in 2002 as the successor of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). Hence, statement 3 is correct. — The African Union Commission, the organization's secretariat, is headquartered in Addis Ababa. The organisation has a combined GDP of $3 trillion and 1.4 billion people. Hence, statement 1 is not correct. — However, its primary goal was to assist in the liberation of the continent's colonial countries. To accomplish this, the OAU mobilised diplomatic support and gave logistical assistance to liberation movements throughout Africa. — The official languages of the Union and its institutions will be Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Kiswahili, and any other African language. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. (Other Source: With reference to the World Economic Outlook, consider the following statements: 1. It provides a comprehensive picture of the global economy as well as details of individual countries. 2. It is published by the World Bank once every two years. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the latest update of its World Economic Outlook (WEO). The IMF has 191 member countries, and its overall goal is to strive for their 'sustainable growth and prosperity'. It does so by fostering international trade, economic growth, and policies that encourage countries to cooperate, especially when it comes to monetary policy. The IMF releases the WEO twice every year, in April and October, apart from updating it twice — in January and July. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. — The WEO is the IMF's benchmark publication as it provides a comprehensive picture of the global economy as well as details of individual countries. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — The broader message is captured by the title of the update — 'Global Economy: Tenuous Resilience amid Persistent Uncertainty'. There are two main takeaways for the state of the global economy. — First, the global economy has proven to be resilient, albeit tenuous, and second, the outlook is plagued by persistent uncertainty. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Consider the following statements: 1. Until July 20, this country was the 58th largest economy in the world. A day later, it rose three spots to the 55th rank, overtaking Ukraine, Qatar, and Hungary in the process as it added more than $50 billion, or roughly 30 per cent of its GDP, in 2024. 2. This is not the first time this country has seen such a huge increase in its GDP due to the base year revision. More than a decade ago, change in the base year from 1990 to 2010 had helped propel this nation to the position of Africa's largest economy thanks to an even-larger 89 per cent increase in the GDP to $510 billion in 2014. The above mentioned statements refer to: (a) Sudan (b) Nigeria (c) Tanzania (d) South Africa Explanation — On July 21, Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published the results of its GDP rebasing exercise, which saw the base year of the indicator being updated to 2019 from 2010, among other changes. Nigeria's GDP in 2024 is now estimated at $243 billion in nominal terms, up from $187 billion forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). — Nigeria's base-year revision exercise included other more meaningful changes in the manner in which the African nation calculates the GDP. This included increasing the scope of its methodology to include previously undercounted sectors such as digital services, pension fund operations, and e-commerce activities, among others. — This is not the first time Nigeria has seen such a huge increase in its GDP due to the base year revision. More than a decade ago, change in the base year from 1990 to 2010 had helped propel Nigeria to the position of Africa's largest economy thanks to an even-larger 89 per cent increase in the GDP to $510 billion in 2014. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to the places in news and the region associated, consider the following statements: 1. Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – Iran 2. Sochi – Russia 3. Oaxaca region – Brazil How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — More than 120 firefighters were trying to extinguish a blaze at an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi that was sparked by a Ukrainian drone attack, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said. — In the Krasnodar region on the Black Sea where Sochi is located, a fuel tank with a capacity of 2,000 cubic metres (70,000 cubic feet) was on fire, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing emergency officials. — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that its team at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) heard explosions and saw smoke coming from a nearby location. — A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Which of the following organisations is known as the world's 'Atoms for Peace and Development'? (a) International Energy Agency (b) International Renewable Energy Agency (c) World Energy Council (d) International Atomic Energy Agency Explanation — The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world's central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear field. — It promotes the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear science and technology, therefore contributing to world peace and security and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. — The IAEA, often known as the 'Atoms for Peace and Development' organisation within the United Nations family, is the international centre for nuclear cooperation. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. (Source: The Khmer Kingdom, which reached its political peak in the 12th and 13th centuries, encompassed which of these countries or portions of present-day countries? 1. Cambodia 2. Thailand 3. Laos 4. Vietnam 5. Myanmar Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1, 2, 3, 4 only (b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only (c) 1, 2 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Explanation — One of the conflicts drawing global attention in 2025 is the dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours — Thailand and Cambodia. At its core lies a border. Stretching across 508 miles, this boundary was drawn when France occupied Cambodia in the late eighteenth century. — Cambodia is situated in mainland Southeast Asia, with Thailand to the west and Vietnam to the east. It shares its northeastern border with Laos. The ethnic majority of Cambodia, the Khmers, reached their political peak in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when the Khmer kingdom of Angkor encompassed portions of what are now Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Since the thirteenth century, however, this stronghold steadily weakened. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. Recently, Chin State was in the news due to a faceoff between two anti-military forces. Which country is this referring to? (a) Cambodia (b) Philippines (c) Thailand (d) Myanmar Explanation — Around 4,000 new refugees from Myanmar have entered Mizoram over the past few days following a renewed outbreak of fighting in the neighbouring country's Chin State. — The Chin State in Myanmar has been witnessing a faceoff between two anti-military junta forces – the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) Hualnogram – since July 2. As a result, thousands of residents have streamed into Mizoram's Champhai district. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. The 'Two-State Solution,' often seen in news, refers to: (a) Division of the Korean Peninsula into North Korea and South Korea as two sovereign nations. (b) Creation of two independent states for Israelis and Palestinians living side-by-side in peace and security. (c) Separation of Sudan and South Sudan into two independent republics following a UN-mediated referendum. (d) Division of Cyprus into Greek and Turkish parts under a UN-brokered peace deal. Explanation — The Two-State Solution refers specifically to the proposal that Israel and Palestine should exist as two independent, sovereign states, coexisting peacefully within mutually agreed and secure borders. — This solution is supported by the United Nations and most of the international community, including India, as reaffirmed at the UN high-level conference in July 2025. — India stated that it's time to move from paper solutions to practical implementation through diplomatic dialogue. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 119) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 121) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 121) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 121) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 121) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 120) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than five years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called 'Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik' and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called 'LIVE with Manas'.His talks on 'How to read a newspaper' focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University's Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women's Studies by the Women's Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on 'Psychological stress among students' at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More
Mint
12 minutes ago
- Mint
UN Lays Out Survival Plan as Trump Threatens to Slash Funding
Secretary General Antonio Guterres is slashing more than $700 million in spending and laying plans to overhaul the United Nations as its largest sponsor, the US, pulls back support. Guterres's plan calls for 20% cuts in expenditures and employment, which would bring its budget, now $3.7 billion, to the lowest since 2018. About 3,000 jobs would be cut. Officially, the reform program is pegged to the UN's 80th anniversary, not the new US administration. But the scale of the reductions reflects the threat to US support, which traditionally accounts for 22% of the organization's budget. President Donald Trump has suspended that funding and pulled out of several UN bodies already, with a broader review expected to lead to further cuts. 'We're not going to be part of organizations that pursue policies that hamper the United States,' Deputy State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told reporters Thursday. The planned cuts at the UN come as the Trump administration has eliminated tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid as part of its drive to focus on what it sees as US interests. Conflicts from the Mideast to Ukraine and Africa have added to the need for global assistance. After years of financial struggles, the UN under Guterres already was planning to make sweeping structural changes. He warned in January it was facing 'a full-blown liquidity crisis.' Overall, spending across the UN system is expected to fall to the lowest level in about a decade - down as much as $20 billion from its high in 2023. 'UN 80 is in large part a reaction from the Secretary General to the kind of challenges posed by the second Trump administration,' said Eugene Chen, senior fellow at New York University's Center on International Cooperation. Guterres is expected to release details of his overhaul plans in a budget in September. The plan calls for restructuring many of its programs. Guterres controls the UN's regular budget, which is only a fraction of the total expenditures of its affiliates. Facing funding shortages of their own, agencies like UNICEF and UNESCO are also planning major cutbacks. The Trump administration already has stopped funds from going into the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council and left UNESCO. Guterres' plan has also drawn criticism, both from Trump allies and inside the UN. 'There are some things that the UN does that arguably should be increased in terms of resources,' said Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. 'And then there are some things that the UN shouldn't be decreasing but eliminating altogether.' He cited the UN's nuclear watchdog and the World Food Program as contributing significantly to US interests and singled out the Food and Agriculture Organization and Human Rights Council as having mandates at odds with American policy. Meanwhile, UN staff in Geneva announced last week they passed a motion of no confidence in Guterres and the plan. 'Staff felt its slash and burn approach lacked focus, had no strategic purpose, and was making the UN more top-heavy and bloated,' Ian Richards, president of the UN Staff Union in Geneva, posted on LinkedIn about the UN 80 report. That vote has largely symbolic importance, according to NYU's Chen. Still, Guterres' efforts to get ahead of the inevitable cuts that reductions in US support will bring could help the UN adapt, he added. 'Maybe that's a silver lining,' Chen said. 'We'll all be primed for reform.' With assistance from Eric Martin. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
37 minutes ago
- News18
Palestinian Guards Detained As Firebrand Israeli Leader Ben-Gvir Storms Al-Aqsa With Settlers
Last Updated: Ben-Gvir, who openly prayed at the compound in defiance of long-standing agreements, was condemned by Palestinian leaders, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia Three Palestinian guards at Al-Aqsa Mosque were arrested by Israeli police on Sunday after far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the holy site with thousands of settlers. According to the Ministry of Islamic Endowments, the detained guards were Muhammad Teena, Muhammad Badran, and Ahmad Abu Aliya, Al Jazeera reported. Earlier in the day, Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, visited the compound in occupied East Jerusalem on the Jewish day of mourning, Tisha B'Av. He was accompanied by more than 1,000 Israeli settlers, including members of the ultra-nationalist Temple Mount group. Reports suggest the number of visitors may have reached 3,000. Although the visit occurred during designated hours, Jewish prayer at the site remains prohibited under long-standing agreements known as the status quo. Despite this, Ben-Gvir openly prayed at the compound, becoming the first government minister to do so publicly. His actions drew swift condemnation from Palestinian leaders, as well as from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, described Ben-Gvir's visit as dangerous and provocative. Jordan's Foreign Ministry also condemned the incursion, urging Israel to avoid actions that could escalate tensions. During his visit, Ben-Gvir called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip and encourage Palestinians to leave. 'This is the only way that we will return the hostages and win the war," he said. His remarks came shortly after Hamas released distressing videos of hostages held in tunnels, including one showing 24-year-old Evyatar David in poor health. Ben-Gvir condemned the footage and used it to justify his controversial stance. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said after the visit that Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo at the compound 'has not changed and will not change." (With inputs from agencies) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
