UK, France Backtrack on Recognizing Palestine
Rabat – The UK and France have abandoned earlier plans to recognize a Palestinian state at an upcoming international conference in New York, scheduled for June 17–20. The two countries had previously hinted at using the event as a platform to announce its recognition, following lobbying from France and growing support across Europe.
Instead of immediate recognition, the UK and France are now pushing for a list of preconditions to be met before any future move, including a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli captives, reforms within the Palestinian Authority, reconstruction of Gaza, and the removal of Hamas from power.
French president Emmanuel Macron had earlier described recognition as a 'moral duty and political requirement,' framing it as part of a possible exchange in which Saudi Arabia might move to recognize Israel.
In recent days, France informed Israeli officials that recognition would not take place during the conference. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot defended the reversal, calling recognition at this stage merely 'symbolic' and citing France's responsibility as a UN Security Council member to act in line with its allies.
In response, Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, cautioned that these conditions could become another 'endless' process used to stall Palestinian statehood. 'Those steps should not be an endless (nonexistent) 'peace process' but pressure on Israel to stop obstructing a state,' he said.
Despite mounting European support, both France and the UK have come under pressure from the United States to shelve their plans. British Foreign Officials had told Middle East Eye earlier this month that the US has cautioned them against formal recognition, pushing them to step back from any such commitments.
In a blatant show of disregard for international law, Israel announced plans to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank in retaliation for the UK-France consideration to recognize Palestine. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared the expansion 'a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state' — erasing the pretence of a two-state solution with an apartheid state.
Even as Israel carries out a livestreamed genocide against over two million Palestinians—deliberately starving them into famine—international efforts to recognize Palestinian statehood remain entangled in appeasement of Israeli demands. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 54,000 people—a conservative estimate that excludes tens of thousands buried under rubble, dismembered beyond recognition, or literally vaporized by its latest genocidal weapons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
3 hours ago
- Morocco World
Spain Confronts Growing Terror Threat Tied to Polisario Front
Rabat – Spanish intelligence services are raising alarms over a mounting terrorist threat linked to the Polisario Front, as extremist factions in the Sahel expand their operations and deepen ties to radicalized individuals with European connections. At the heart of the concern is the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has emerged as one of the most violent groups operating in the region. Security sources cited by La Vanguardia indicate that some high-ranking members of the group are Sahrawis who spent their early years in the Tindouf camps and later participated in the 'Holidays in Peace' program, which allowed them to spend summers in Spain. Now fluent in Spanish, these individuals are believed to have the potential to encourage terrorist acts on European soil. 'These are not distant actors,' a Spanish intelligence official said. 'They know our cities, our language, and our way of life.' The link between terrorism and the Polisario Front, the separatist movement seeking to divide Morocco's southern provinces, is now drawing new scrutiny. Sources close to the counterterrorism community argue that the presence of radicalized Sahrawis in terror networks like ISWAP points to deeper ideological and operational overlaps. Calls are growing in some quarters for Spain and its European partners to officially recognize the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. The threat is not limited to individuals. The broader picture shows a Sahel region descending into chaos, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger becoming ungovernable zones. Terrorist groups there are no longer confined to isolated attacks. They now control vast rural territories and have shown the capability to destabilize state institutions. While much of Europe's attention remains on the war in Ukraine and the eastern front, Spain's southern flank is becoming increasingly vulnerable. Terrorist cells could exploit both their proximity to the Iberian Peninsula and the well-established migratory routes. In the past year, most migrants arriving in the Canary Islands have come from this region. Though most are fleeing conflict and poverty, the risk remains that terrorist networks could infiltrate these flows to move operatives toward European soil. Spain's Ministry of Defense has expressed regret over the withdrawal of European forces from the Sahel, seeing it as a strategic mistake. 'We underestimated the long-term consequences of leaving a vacuum,' one official noted. Though some analysts believe terrorist organizations in the region face internal leadership disputes and logistical challenges, the possibility of a shift in their strategy remains real, and dangerous. Spanish police recently arrested two young Sahrawis from the Tindouf camps in the Basque Country's Alava region, as concerns mount over radicalization within the camps. Authorities have charged the pair with collaborating with terrorist groups and promoting terrorism, according to multiple reports. The arrests follow renewed calls from American policymakers and think tanks urging the US to officially classify the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. Tags: PolisarioPolisario FrontSahelSpainterrorism
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Morocco World
UK, France Backtrack on Recognizing Palestine
Rabat – The UK and France have abandoned earlier plans to recognize a Palestinian state at an upcoming international conference in New York, scheduled for June 17–20. The two countries had previously hinted at using the event as a platform to announce its recognition, following lobbying from France and growing support across Europe. Instead of immediate recognition, the UK and France are now pushing for a list of preconditions to be met before any future move, including a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli captives, reforms within the Palestinian Authority, reconstruction of Gaza, and the removal of Hamas from power. French president Emmanuel Macron had earlier described recognition as a 'moral duty and political requirement,' framing it as part of a possible exchange in which Saudi Arabia might move to recognize Israel. In recent days, France informed Israeli officials that recognition would not take place during the conference. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot defended the reversal, calling recognition at this stage merely 'symbolic' and citing France's responsibility as a UN Security Council member to act in line with its allies. In response, Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, cautioned that these conditions could become another 'endless' process used to stall Palestinian statehood. 'Those steps should not be an endless (nonexistent) 'peace process' but pressure on Israel to stop obstructing a state,' he said. Despite mounting European support, both France and the UK have come under pressure from the United States to shelve their plans. British Foreign Officials had told Middle East Eye earlier this month that the US has cautioned them against formal recognition, pushing them to step back from any such commitments. In a blatant show of disregard for international law, Israel announced plans to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank in retaliation for the UK-France consideration to recognize Palestine. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared the expansion 'a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state' — erasing the pretence of a two-state solution with an apartheid state. Even as Israel carries out a livestreamed genocide against over two million Palestinians—deliberately starving them into famine—international efforts to recognize Palestinian statehood remain entangled in appeasement of Israeli demands. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 54,000 people—a conservative estimate that excludes tens of thousands buried under rubble, dismembered beyond recognition, or literally vaporized by its latest genocidal weapons.
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
Tunisian Ultras Join Convoy to Break Israeli Siege on Gaza
Rabat– Tunisian football ultras are taking part in a grassroots effort to confront and break the genocidal siege Israel continues to impose on Gaza. Several major supporter groups have declared their participation in the 'Resilience Convoy,' which is set to depart Tunisia on Monday, June 9, with plans to reach Gaza through Libya and Egypt. The convoy is being organized by the Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine, and has already received over 7,000 applications. Volunteers are being screened based on age, health, and logistical feasibility. Among the first to respond were the Bad Blue Boys Juniors, supporters of Espérance Sportive de Tunis (ES Tunis), and the Leaders Clubistes, affiliated with Club Africain. Both groups issued calls to action urging fans and citizens alike to take part in the convoy, framing it as a moral and political duty rooted in a long-standing tradition of Tunisian ultras using football spaces to express solidarity with Palestine. 'When the world falls silent, the crowds must scream,' declared Leaders Clubistes, affirming that solidarity with the Palestinian struggle remains a core part of their identity. Support has also come from Libya. The Teha Boys, ultras of Al-Ahly Tripoli, joined the initiative in a joint statement with their Tunisian counterparts. Major Tunisian unions—representing workers, farmers, doctors, and supporters—have also declared their backing for the convoy, now rallying under the revolutionary slogan: 'The Shackle Must Be Broken.' Despite clear threats from the Israeli regime, organizers are determined to proceed. 'We don't believe in the impossible,' said convoy spokesperson Wael Naouar. Read also: The convoy was originally scheduled to depart on June 15, but the date was moved forward to align with international resistance efforts, including the Freedom Flotilla, which is currently close to Gaza. Onboard the Madleen—named after Madleen Kulab, Gaza's only fisherwoman—are prominent activists including Greta Thunberg, actor Liam Cunningham, European Parliament member Rima Hassan, and Palestinian-American human rights attorney Huwaida Arraf. Organizers from both the land and sea missions have expressed concern over likely attacks by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), especially after Israel launched drone strikes in May against the Conscience, a Flotilla vessel in international waters near Malta. The siege of Gaza did not begin on October 7. It is the latest phase in a long-term genocidal campaign. Since 2007, Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza—by land, air, and sea—trapping over two million Palestinians in an open-air prison and cutting them off from basic survival needs. Every attempt to break the siege has been either violently intercepted or blocked outright. One of the most notorious attacks occurred in May 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish aid ship in international waters, murdering ten activists. Israel later justified the killings under the familiar lie of 'self-defense,' claiming that their heavily armed soldiers were endangered by civilians on board. Now, in the midst of a near-total blockade and constant bombing, Israel has intensified its genocide on Gaza's civilian population. Gaza has been plunged into starvation, displacement, and unrelenting bombardment for almost 100 consecutive days. The genocidal hands feeding Gaza After banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—the only large-scale humanitarian body with long-standing infrastructure in Gaza—Israel replaced it with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed private entity with no credible record of neutrality, capacity, or trust among Palestinians. Since GHF began operating distribution centers in late May, the IOF has killed more than 100 civilians near these 'aid' sites. Palestinians have come to see them not as relief hubs but as lethal ambush zones, where desperate people are gunned down. Speaking to Al Jazeera on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Gaza, June 6, as GHF sites closed , journalist and Khan Younis resident Ahmad al-Najjar stated that these centers 'have killed more people than they've helped. It's comical to say these distribution centers are closed today, as if they've been making a major difference.' In reality, GHF centers have become symbolic of the broader Israeli policy— use starvation as a weapon of war, crush any mechanism of organized relief, and kill those who dare to seek aid. As Gaza remains under genocidal siege, initiatives like the Resilience Convoy are both a humanitarian act and a political stance—one that refuses silence, complicity, or fear.
