Monaco, the glittering microstate better known for its casinos, yachts, and secretive banking practices, has stepped onto the global stage with an announcement as bizarre as it is irresponsible: on Monday, it formally recognized a Palestinian state.
Prince Albert II of Monaco © Mena Today
Monaco, the glittering microstate better known for its casinos, yachts, and secretive banking practices, has stepped onto the global stage with an announcement as bizarre as it is irresponsible: on Monday, it formally recognized a Palestinian state.
This move, coming from a country routinely accused of harboring dirty money in its financial institutions, reeks of hypocrisy. Before dabbling in Middle Eastern diplomacy, Monaco should clean up its own backyard.
Prince Albert, already entangled in internal disputes and struggling to maintain credibility at home, has more urgent priorities than weighing in on one of the most complex and volatile conflicts in the world. Yet Monaco chose symbolism over substance—and worse, it chose silence over justice.
Monaco opted for a hollow gesture that undermines peace efforts and emboldens extremists. It is a sad spectacle from a country whose international image is already stained by financial opacity and questionable priorities.
If Prince Albert truly wishes to contribute to global stability, he should return to his favored cause—ocean preservation—and leave geopolitics to serious actors. The Middle East deserves thoughtful engagement, not token gestures from a state whose influence ends where the Mediterranean coastline does.
Several European capitals — Paris, London, Lisbon, Luxembourg, and even Monte Carlo (yes, Monaco, between a casino and a yacht party) — have proudly recognized the “State of Palestine.” Speeches were made, flags were waved, and lofty declarations about peace and justice filled the air.
Dozens of world leaders gathered at the United Nations on Monday to embrace a Palestinian state, a landmark diplomatic shift nearly two years into the Gaza war that faces fierce resistance from Israel and its close ally the United States.
Several world leaders are expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state on Monday at a summit in New York convened by France and Saudi Arabia, a move Israel says will undermine the prospects of a peaceful ending to the war in Gaza.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
