France: Establishment of Palestinian State vital for peace in the Middle East

France’s Ambassador to the United Nations Francois Delattre said yesterday that the establishment of a Palestinian state is in the interest of Middle Eastern stability, stressing that without a Palestinian state, there will never be peace in the region.

The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported Delattre saying, during his testimony before the UN Security Council: “We cannot surrender and we cannot accept the current situation, which will inevitably lead to a disaster.”

“We are convinced more than ever that there is no alternative to the establishment of a Palestinian state which is in the interest of everyone and in the interest of peace, so it is essential that the Security Council shoulders its responsibilities towards this end.”

The French Ambassador pointed out that the Israeli settlements are illegal and undermine the possibility of a Palestinian state existing on the ground, noting that the political vacuum will feed the risk of explosion and move public opinion in Israel and in Palestine toward militancy.

Delattre stressed on the need for all parties “to commit to the two-state solution and to proceed from here to create a new political perspective that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” and to face the continued unilateral strategies which only increase the lack of trust between the parties.

Last autumn, France made several efforts to mobilise the UN Security Council, he said, however these were met with calls to wait until the Israeli Knesset elections are held.

“Now that the elections are over, we must take into account the results of the Israeli elections, and the statements made in this occasion,” Delattre added.