French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday formally recognised the state of Palestine at a UN summit in New York co-hosted with Saudi Arabia.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that speaking via video link after being denied a U.S. visa, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Hamas would play no role in future Palestinian governance. Macron clarified in a CBS interview that France would not open an embassy until Hamas releases hostages still held in Gaza.
The decision comes after Britain, Canada and Australia also recognised a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by vowing to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, while a senior Hamas official hailed the recognitions as a major victory for Palestinian rights.