Luxembourg will recognize a Palestinian state with France, UK at UNGA

Luxembourg plans to recognize a Palestinian state, Politico reported on Monday.

Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel reportedly told a parliamentary commission that, though they plan to recognize a Palestinian state, the final decision will be announced in conjunction with other countries, such as France and Belgium, at the United Nations General Assembly later this month. 

This comes after several countries, including France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, announced that they would recognize a Palestinian state at the end of September. 

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” wrote French President Emmanuel Macron. “The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population. Peace is possible."

He stated that he would make the solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week that the European Commission will propose sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers and a partial suspension of the European Union's association agreement with Israel, targeting trade-related matters.

European diplomats also recently told The Jerusalem Post that recent moves in Israeli politics have destroyed the commission's hope of a two-state solution. 

“We saw the announcement about construction in E1. It’s hard for us to understand why, at a time when Israel is already unpopular worldwide due to the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis, Israel would choose to approve building in a highly contentious area near Ma’aleh Adumim,” a European diplomat told the Post.

Reuters and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.