In New York, Emmanuel Macron’s motorcade was halted for Donald Trump’s convoy, forcing him to walk. Later, France formally recognized a Palestinian state, calling for peace in Gaza. Several European nations followed suit.
New York: French President Emmanuel Macron faced an unusual situation in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). His motorcade was stopped to allow US President Donald Trump’s convoy to pass. Macron was seen speaking with an NYPD officer in an attempt to move his cars forward and even tried reaching Trump by phone. When that didn’t work, he decided to leave his motorcade behind and walk to his destination. In a viral video clip, a police officer can be seen telling Macron that he cannot let the convoy pass due to tight security restrictions. In response, Macron can be seen dialling Trump. “How are you? Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you.” He can then be seen walking on the sidewalks with his delegation. Whenever the US president travels to the UN headquarters, it is a custom for security to “freeze” the city and imposing several traffic restrictions.
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France Recognises Palestine
Soon after, Macron formally acknowledged Palestinian statehood, initiating a cascade of similar declarations from Western nations that challenged Israel’s position on the matter. Speaking before the General Assembly at a conference neither Israel nor the United States chose to attend, Macron emphasized the urgent need for peace in the Gaza region. In his remarks, the French leader stressed the critical nature of the moment, warning that opportunities for peace were rapidly diminishing. He highlighted the necessity of securing the release of 48 individuals currently held captive by Hamas while simultaneously calling for an end to military operations, aerial strikes on Gaza, civilian casualties, and forced relocations. Despite this recognition, Macron clarified that France would delay establishing diplomatic missions in a Palestinian state until both a cessation of hostilities in Gaza occurs and all captives are freed.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed France’s decision as both “historic and courageous,” with their representatives responding with enthusiastic applause during the session. Following France’s lead, several other nations including Australia, Britain, Canada, and Portugal also granted recognition to Palestinian statehood, intensifying diplomatic pressure on Israel as military operations in Gaza continue to escalate. Additional countries joined this movement from the General Assembly platform, including Monaco, Belgium, Andorra, Malta, and Luxembourg. This brought the total number of recognizing nations to approximately three-quarters of the UN’s membership. This recent wave builds upon earlier recognitions by Spain, Ireland, and Norway in May, while Sweden had already taken this step in 2014.