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Italy's Meloni on France move to recognise State of Palestine: 'Something that doesn't exist…'

Italy's Meloni on France move to recognise State of Palestine: 'Something that doesn't exist…'

Hindustan Times26-07-2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday pushed back against growing European momentum toward recognising the state of Palestine and called such a move "counter-productive". Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday that recognising the State of Palestine before it is established.(AFP)
"I am very much in favour of the State of Palestine, but I am not in favour of recognising it before establishing it," Meloni told Italian daily La Repubblica. "If something that doesn't exist is recognised on paper, the problem could appear to be solved when it isn't," she added.
Also Read | What UN meet amid grave tragedy in Gaza aims to achieve, and what it might
In addition to Italy, Germany also indicated that it was not planning to recognise the state of Palestine in the short term, adding that its priority now is to make "long-overdue progress" towards a two-state solution.
France set to recognise Palestinian state
Her remarks come just days after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from both Israel and the United States.
Macron's announcement marks a significant shift in European diplomacy and has sparked debate across EU capitals.
Also Read | Palestinians stare at 'die hungry or leave territory' as Gaza starvation peaks, Israel blames Hamas again
"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.
142 nations recognise Palestine
After the inclusion of France, Palestinian statehood is now recognised by 142 countries, according to an AFP tally, though Israel and the United States strongly oppose recognition.
In 1947, a resolution of the UN General Assembly decided on the partition of Palestine, then under a British mandate, into two independent states — one Jewish and the other Arab.
The following year, the State of Israel was proclaimed. For several decades, the vast majority of UN member states have supported the idea of a two-state solution: Israeli and Palestinian, living side-by-side peacefully and securely.
(with AFP inputs)
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India Holds Mirror to Trump, Strikes Back at Russian Oil Tariff Threat: ‘Protecting Its Own Interests'
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India.com

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India Holds Mirror to Trump, Strikes Back at Russian Oil Tariff Threat: ‘Protecting Its Own Interests'

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A Clear Double Standard: Why Donald Trump's Attack On India's Russia Trade Rings Hollow
A Clear Double Standard: Why Donald Trump's Attack On India's Russia Trade Rings Hollow

News18

time37 minutes ago

  • News18

A Clear Double Standard: Why Donald Trump's Attack On India's Russia Trade Rings Hollow

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Not only does EU-Russia trade exceed India's, it's also more diverse. While India's imports are mostly energy-related, Europe continues to buy: And exports to Russia include: Pharmaceuticals Transport equipment Machinery and industrial tools What About The United States? Isn't It Isolating Russia? While Washington has restricted several categories of trade, it continues to import strategic goods from Russia, especially those where alternatives are hard to find. In 2024 alone, US imports from Russia stood at $3 billion, down from $36 billion in 2021, but key items like uranium, fertilisers, and palladium remain untouched. 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Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : donald trump India-US relations russia oil view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 05, 2025, 14:46 IST News explainers A Clear Double Standard: Why Donald Trump's Attack On India's Russia Trade Rings Hollow 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.

India looks Trump in the eye, says take a walk
India looks Trump in the eye, says take a walk

India Today

timean hour ago

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India looks Trump in the eye, says take a walk

India is done being patient and tolerant, as far as Donald Trump is concerned. In its most stinging reaction to the US President's call for fresh tariffs on India over its purchase of oil from Russia, India not only exposed the West's double-standards, but also conveyed that it would pursue an independent foreign policy without fear or favour. The bottom line: India is telling Trump it's not bothered by its tariffs and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a six-point reaction after Trump issued fresh threats of tariffs against India on his Truth Social. Point 6 of the statement, referring to India as a "major economy", put bluntly that it was aimed at Trump, who had called India's economy "dead".The MEA reaction, citing facts to counter the US and the EU on Russian trade, was unlike any other from the government. The EU's mention in the MEA statement comes after Mark Rutte, the chief of Nato, which is a military grouping with the US and several European nations as members, lectured India on its trade with Russia, and threatened sanctions. India has been polite in rejecting Trump's repeated assertion that it was he who got India to agree to a ceasefire with Pakistan in the May Trump doubling down on tariffs with a false narrative on India's oil trade with Russia, New Delhi called out the West duplicity and double-standards, with hard facts. It also asserted that it is a sovereign nation that will determine its foreign policy independently and prioritise its national a way, New Delhi has questioned the West's morality to pass on the burden of deaths in the Ukraine-Russia war due to its oil is what we derive from the six exposes US duplicity: It says DC "actively encouraged" India's oil imports from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the hits back at US and EU double-standards: It says India's oil trade with Russia is a result of the global market situation, while the EU and US are engaging with Russia in trade that is "not even a vital national compulsion".EU trade with Russia is "significantly more" than India's total trade with Russia in 2023 and trade includes not just energy but a variety of US imports from Russia include products for the nuclear industry, the EV industry, fertilisers, and EU targeting India is unjustified and reminds Trump it is a "major economy" and will "take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security".advertisementThe last point is interesting, because it directly counters Trump's "dead economy" dig at the response is unprecedented is because India has not only defended its Russian oil trade, which was cheered by the US, but because it has attacked the US and the EU over their trade with Russia, which includes non-essential items and is telling the world that it cannot be lectured on when it comes to its national interests, economic and energy security, as it can't be hectored on its national Delhi's unbending stance, which stands in sharp contrast to several countries', has been come for appreciation."Non-grovelling reaction by India to Trump's most recent threat to raise tariffs further because of Indian purchases of Russian oil," wrote journalist Rupa Subramanya, comparing it to Canada's "we're your best friend, family, we fought wars with you" leaders of several countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasn't called up Trump since June 18, and even turned down, albeit courteously, the President's invitation for a US stopover while returning from the G7 Summit in Modi has also asserted that India agreed to the ceasefire with Pakistan in May on its own terms, junking Trump's truce claims in referred to as the "daddy" by Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, has a bloated ego that he wants to be massaged perpetually. Pakistan, for one, has learnt the art of massaging Trump's ego with make-believe knows Trump will try to threaten it with higher tariffs, but it is showing its intent. New Delhi realises that the tariffs aren't about trade but a bid to coerce it into changing its diplomatic alignment. And it has signalled it won't give in to has taken to the defence of the offence. It has also, in a way, conveyed the West to walk the talk on the Russia-Ukraine issue, and not pass on the guilt of its helplessness that stems from the fear of confronting Russian President Vladimir isn't long back that Trump and his deputy Vance lashed out against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was their guest, for "starting the war with Russia".To benefit Europe, the US has put a price-cap mechanism on oil but allowed gas to flow. The EU would freeze without Russian gas in Trump might be itching to, the US can't outright place sanctions on oil from Russia, which is one of the top fossil fuel producers in the world, because it will end up giving the world a crude Trump has the MAGA madmen to cheer him on destroying alliances with tariff threats, in India, everyone's united with the government in giving a befitting reply to the is telling Trump there's no ceasefire from its end in this tariff battle. Trump might try and call Pakistani General Asim Munir and request its DGMO to call up New Delhi again, this time for a Trump truce with India.- EndsTune InMust Watch

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