Emmanuel Macron Calls Gaza Situation 'Shameful'; Says Strait of Hormuz Should Not Be Used for 'Blackmail'

New York: French President Emmanuel Macron, while addressing the 81s sesstion of the UN General Assembly said that the situation in Gaza is “shameful”, while questioning the international community’s response to the crisis. Speaking at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Macron said, “What is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza? Some claim that peace has been achieved, but this has not opened up humanitarian deliveries. The spectacle, it is shameful.”

He also spoke about the conflict in west asia, emphasising that the Strait of Hormuz should not be used for “blackmail” and said reopening the waterway “is a priority”. “It is in the interest of all of us for vessels to be able to transit through the Strait.. The reopening of the Hormuz Strait is a priority, and the respect of international law is also a priority,” he said. 

Further, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said at the United Nations General Assembly that the Gulf region was going through “one of the most dangerous phases” due to the US-Israel war with Iran, which he said “can be resolved through diplomatic means”.

Reaffirming Qatar’s position as a “trusted mediator”, Sheikh Tamim said that diplomacy could help achieve a lasting solution that ensures security for the entire region, including Iran. “We remain convinced that the crisis in the Gulf can be resolved through diplomatic means, through reopening the Strait of Hormuz to maritime navigation, in order to avert war,” Sheikh Tamim said.

He said Qatar was making “everything in our power to address the conflict in the region through diplomatic means” while remaining “steadfast” in protecting its territory and sovereignty. Meanwhile, Jordan’s King Abdullah II criticised Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its recent policies in the West Bank during his address at the UN General Assembly, urging the international community to take stronger action.

During his speech, Abdullah accused the Israeli government of prolonging the war in Gaza and hindering efforts by US President Donald Trump to end the conflict. He also alleged that Israeli policies in the West Bank were leading to a “fundamental shift” through “de facto annexation” and increasing settler violence.

“President Trump has pushed hard for peace and a path to end this war,” Abdullah told the assembly. “But this Israeli government keeps moving the goalposts, continuing its attacks and destruction of civilian infrastructure, refusing to withdraw, and squeezing Palestinians into barely a third of Gaza,” he added.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the two-State solution remains the only credible path to achieving lasting peace and security for Palestinians, Israelis and the wider region. "The objective is clear: two independent, sovereign & democratic States, Israel & Palestine, living side by side in peace & security. There is simply no alternative," Guterres said. 

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