France will recognise Palestine statehood, says Macron in big announcement
"True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine. I will make a formal announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September," the French head of state wrote on X and Instagram.
Including France, Palestinian statehood is now recognised by 142 countries, according to an AFP tally, though Israel and the United States strongly oppose recognition.
France would be the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state.
"The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and rescue the civilian population," Macron wrote.
'We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
30 minutes ago
- India.com
Ghanas Defence And Environment Ministers Killed In Military Helicopter Crash
New Delhi: Ghana's defence minister Edward Omane Boamah and environment minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among eight people killed in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday, the presidency confirmed. The Ghana Air Force chopper, carrying three crew members and five passengers, went down in a forested area in the southern Ashanti region. Local television outlet Joy News aired cell phone footage from the crash site, showing the wreckage smouldering in thick forest cover earlier in the day, before the identities of the victims were confirmed. Boamah, who took charge of the defence ministry following President John Mahama's swearing-in in January, died alongside Muhammed, 50, who was serving as minister of environment, science, and technology. Muhammed had been scheduled to attend the ongoing United Nations conference in Geneva focused on negotiating a global treaty to combat plastic pollution. According to local reports, the helicopter had been en route to an event related to illegal mining, a pressing environmental challenge in Ghana, when it crashed. Authorities have confirmed that all individuals on board were killed. "The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country," said Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President Mahama. The Ghana Armed Forces stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash involving the Z9 helicopter. Earlier on Wednesday, military officials had reported that the aircraft went off radar shortly after departing from Accra around 9:00 a.m. local time (0900 GMT). It was headed to the town of Obuasi, located northwest of the capital. Among the others killed in the crash were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana's deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, and Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Boamah had been leading the defence ministry at a time when Ghana faced growing concerns over security along its northern border with Burkina Faso, where jihadist activity has surged. Although Ghana has not experienced the direct spillover of extremist violence seen in neighbouring Togo and Benin, analysts have warned of increasing arms trafficking and militant infiltration from the Sahel. A medical doctor by profession, Boamah previously held several key government roles, including communications minister during Mahama's 2012–2017 presidency and deputy minister for environment. Minister Muhammed had been at the forefront of Ghana's battle against illegal gold mining, known locally as "galamsey," which has severely impacted agricultural land and water sources. The issue has significantly affected cocoa production and was a major theme during the election campaign that brought Mahama back to power last year. This year, Ghana established the Ghana Gold Board and implemented a ban on foreign participation in the local gold trade, signaling the government's commitment to cracking down on illegal mining. Muhammed was described as a "committed environmentalist" and "deeply respected" by both African and international colleagues, said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in a statement from Geneva. Just weeks ago, Muhammed was elected to the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi. Condolences have also been expressed by leaders of the African Union and ECOWAS. Boamah had recently led a diplomatic mission to Ouagadougou as Ghana worked to strengthen relations with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, three countries now ruled by military juntas that have distanced themselves from ECOWAS. He was also preparing to publish a book titled "A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy", a tribute to former President John Atta Mills, who passed away in 2012. In response to the tragedy, President Mahama has suspended all official activities for the remainder of the week. The presidency also declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday, during which all flags will be flown at half-mast.
Hans India
30 minutes ago
- Hans India
Woman held for AQIS propaganda urged Pak Army chief to invade India during Op Sindoor: ATS
Ahmedabad: A woman arrested by Gujarat ATS for allegedly promoting Al-Qaeda agenda had appealed to Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir to invade India during Operation Sindoor to "unify Muslim lands" under "Project Khilafat", officials have said. Shama Parveen Ansari was arrested from her residence in Bengaluru on July 29 on charges of spreading the propaganda of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a banned terror outfit, through her social media pages. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Wednesday stated Ansari operated two Facebook pages and an Instagram handle with 10,000 followers to share provocative, jihadi and anti-India content of the AQIS and some other radical preachers. On May 9, two days after India launched the Operation Sindoor against terror dens in Pakistan and PoK, Ansari uploaded a post on her FB account appealing Gen Munir to seize the "golden opportunity" to attack India, according to a release issued by ATS. In the FB post, which had the photo of Munir, Ansari stated, "You have a golden opportunity.. adopt Project Khilafat for the implementation of Islam, unify Muslim lands, and march forward to eliminate Hindutva and march forward." In a video Ansari shared on her Instagram account, a preacher can be heard criticising Indian Muslims for extending their support to the Army and condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. In another video clip Ansari shared, the Imam of Lahore's Lal Masjid Abdul Aziz can be heard making provocative statements about establishing the Khilafat System in India through armed revolution against the government, said the release. A third video shows an AQIS leader talking about "Ghazwa-e-Hind" and making provocative calls to unleash violence against the Indian state, particularly targeting members of the Hindu community and institutions of democratic governance, the ATS said. Ansari was linked to one of the four persons nabbed two weeks ago for allegedly sharing the provocative content through their Instagram accounts, as per the ATS. These four persons, including two from Gujarat, were arrested from different locations in a multi-state operation, officials earlier said. All the five individuals have been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Woman held for AQIS propaganda had urged Pak Army to invade India; Here's everything she posted online: Report
Shama Parveen Ansari, who resided in Bengaluru, was taken into custody by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on July 29 for allegedly disseminating extremist ideologies linked to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a proscribed terrorist group. Authorities claim that Ansari used her social media platforms to push radical narratives and called for militant actions against India. Shama Parveen Ansari, accused of promoting the anti-national propaganda of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), after her arrest by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Bengaluru.(PTI) READ | Who is Shama Parveen Ansari, the Bengaluru woman linked to Al-Qaeda propaganda? According to the ATS, Ansari managed two Facebook pages and one Instagram account with a total following of around 10,000. These platforms were reportedly used to circulate violent, anti-national content, including speeches from extremist clerics and propaganda material supporting AQIS ideologies, news agency PTI reported. Following India's launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7 — an anti-terror campaign targeting militant hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — Ansari publicly urged Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir to take aggressive military action against India. In a May 9 social media post, she called on Munir to seize what she described as a "golden opportunity" to restore Islamic rule under the banner of "Project Khilafat" and dismantle ideologies like Hindutva and Zionism, the report said. READ | Bengaluru woman arrested by Gujarat ATS for alleged Al-Qaeda links, online extremist activities In another post, Ansari shared a video of an Islamic preacher allegedly criticizing Indian Muslims for showing solidarity with Indian armed forces and for condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. She also reposted content from Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz of Lahore, who called for armed rebellion to bring about an Islamic caliphate in India. A third video posted by Ansari allegedly featured an AQIS leader encouraging violent campaigns against Indian democracy and the Hindu community, invoking the narrative of 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' — a radical concept advocating for the conquest of India. READ | Bengaluru Police files case over social media posts glorifying gangster Wilson Garden Naga: Report Investigators revealed that Ansari had connections to one of four individuals arrested two weeks earlier in a coordinated operation across several states. These individuals also allegedly used Instagram to share similar extremist content, the report added. All five have been charged under multiple provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as the authorities continue their probe into their suspected efforts to incite violence and promote terror-linked narratives within India. (With inputs from PTI)
