UN Two-State Solution Summit Underway Amidst Key Boycotts
UN Two-State Solution Summit Underway Amidst Key Boycotts
A high-level United Nations General Assembly meeting commenced today, July 28, bringing together officials to promote a two-state solution to the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. The two-day summit, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia, aims to foster peace and independent nations for both peoples.
Notably, Israel and its close ally the United States are boycotting the proceedings. Israel’s right-wing government remains opposed to a two-state solution, while the U.S. has labeled the meeting “counterproductive” to its ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Gaza. France and Saudi Arabia, however, view the two-state solution as the only viable path to peace and are pushing for concrete steps towards its implementation.
The summit, which was previously postponed from late June and downgraded from a four-day meeting of world leaders, takes place amidst surging tensions in the Middle East, including Israel’s 12-day war against Iran and the ongoing war in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized the urgency on Sunday, stating on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that restarting the political process is “absolutely necessary” as the two-state solution is “more threatened than it has ever been.”
The concept of a two-state solution, rooted in the 1947 U.N. partition plan, envisions separate Israeli and Palestinian states. While widely supported internationally, it faces significant opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cites nationalistic and security concerns. Conversely, Palestinians view the current situation as detrimental to their aspirations for an independent state, accusing Israel of undermining peace initiatives through settlement expansion.
Adding significant weight to the discussions, French President Emmanuel Macron announced late last week that France plans to officially recognize the state of Palestine at the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering in late September. This move, coming ahead of the current meeting and amid growing global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, makes France the most prominent Western power to do so.
Palestinian officials, including Ahmed Majdalani of the PLO Executive Committee, anticipate this meeting will serve as preparation for a presidential summit expected in September. Their goals include a “serious international political process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state,” increased international recognition, and crucial economic and financial support for the Palestinian Authority and Gaza’s reconstruction.
Despite the attendance of approximately 40 ministers from the 193 U.N. member nations, the boycott by Israel and the United States means a major breakthrough or resumption of long-stalled negotiations is not expected. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged participants to “keep the two-state solution alive” and work towards materializing the conditions for its realization.
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