Israel should end policies that imperil peace: Macron

By Omer Aydin and Yusuf Ozcan

PARIS

Israel should abandon policies that undermine the possibility of a peace agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

Addressing the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, Macron stressed the importance of resuming Israeli-Palestine peace talks, adding there is no viable alternative to the two-state solution and living peacefully side-by-side.

Peace cannot be achieved by making unilateral decisions or trampling on the legitimate rights of Palestinians, he said, noting Israel's attitude towards this issue is wrong.

Israeli-Palestinian talks broke down in 2014, due largely to Israel’s refusal to stop building Jewish-only settlement units on confiscated Palestinian land.

Macron also deplored the “deep crisis” of the traditional international order and warned against the temptation towards unilateralism, calling for a “new global balance”.

Highlighting the need for many changes at the United Nations, he said the UN may become a symbol of desperation and that UN member countries would be responsible if this occurred.

By Omer Aydin and Yusuf Ozcan

PARIS

Israel should abandon policies that undermine the possibility of a peace agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

Peace cannot be achieved by making unilateral decisions or trampling on the legitimate rights of Palestinians, he said, noting Israel's attitude towards this issue is wrong.

Israeli-Palestinian talks broke down in 2014, due largely to Israel’s refusal to stop building Jewish-only settlement units on confiscated Palestinian land.

Macron also deplored the “deep crisis” of the traditional international order and warned against the temptation towards unilateralism, calling for a “new global balance”.

Highlighting the need for many changes at the United Nations, he said the UN may become a symbol of desperation and that UN member countries would be responsible if this occurred.