New York: France and Saudi Arabia will spearhead a renewed initiative starting Monday to revitalize the stalled two-state solution efforts between Israel and the Palestinians at a United Nations conference in New York. The event, co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, aims to address longstanding issues and gather international support for the peace process.
According to France24.com, French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced his intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine in September, a move anticipated to inject momentum into the conference. Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, noted that France's decision could reinvigorate discussions that seemed to be veering towards irrelevance. An AFP database indicates that at least 142 of the 193 UN member states, including France, currently recognize the Palestinian state, which was declared by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.
The historical context dates back to 1947 when a UN General Assembly resolution proposed the partition of Palestine, then under British mandate, into two independent states—one Jewish and one Arab. The state of Israel was subsequently proclaimed in 1948. Although the two-state solution has enjoyed widespread support among UN member states for decades, recent developments have cast doubt on its feasibility. Concerns are mounting over the geographical viability of a Palestinian state due to ongoing conflict in Gaza, expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli intentions to annex occupied territories.
The conference comes in response to the ongoing crisis, exacerbated by a prolonged war in Gaza that erupted after a deadly Hamas attack on Israel. Israel's subsequent large-scale military response has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and numerous international ministers are expected to attend the meeting, which is deemed crucial at a time when the prospect of a Palestinian state is both threatened and necessary, as noted by Barrot, a participating official.
Beyond the primary aim of facilitating conditions for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the conference will focus on reforming the Palestinian Authority, disarming Hamas, and normalizing relations between Arab states and Israel. Although no new normalization deals are anticipated, a French diplomatic source stated that Arab countries would, for the first time, condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament.
Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, emphasized the conference's potential to transform international law and consensus into a viable plan to end the occupation and conflict. Despite the absence of Israel and the United States at the meeting, and amid international pressure on Israel to cease hostilities in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in the region is expected to dominate discussions. Gowan predicted intense criticism of Israel during the conference, which will feature speeches from representatives of over 100 countries from Monday to Wednesday.