French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York that France now recognizes the State of Palestine.

Why it matters: Macron's announcement was the height of an initiative he launched several months ago with Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and led a dozen countries to recognize a Palestinian state in recent days. • The initiative succeeded despite opposition by Israel and the U.S. and created a diplomatic tsunami that has further isolated the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Trump administration internationally.

Driving the news: Macron spoke at the general assembly conference in support of the two-state solution and in opposition of Hamas. • Leaders and diplomats from more than 140 count

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