UN conference on Palestinian statehood postponed due to Middle East tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday the postponement of a high-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, scheduled for next week, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East after Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran early Friday morning.

France and Saudi Arabia were scheduled to co-chair the conference hosted by the UN General Assembly in New York from June 17 to 20, and Macron was among the leaders scheduled to attend. The Palestinian Authority expressed hope that the conference would revive the long-stalled peace process, according to the Associated Press.

Macron expressed his "determination to recognize the State of Palestine" at some point, despite the postponement. France has sought a broader move toward recognizing a Palestinian state in parallel with recognizing Israel and its right to defend itself.

Following the Israeli strikes on Iran on Friday, Macron said that French military forces throughout the Middle East are ready to help protect partners in the region, including Israel, but will not participate in any attacks on Iran, according to the agency.

Macron told reporters that the two-state solution conference had been postponed for logistical and security reasons, and because some Palestinian representatives were unable to attend. He insisted that it would be held "as soon as possible" and that he was in discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a new date.

The French and Saudi ambassadors to the United Nations stated in a letter to the 193 UN member states that the postponement "is due to current circumstances in the Middle East that prevent regional leaders from attending the conference in New York," according to the Washington Post.

French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont and Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil said the conference would open on June 17 in the General Assembly Hall, but only to propose and approve its suspension. They invited all countries to attend the opening, according to the newspaper.

"We are determined to resume the conference as soon as possible," the ambassadors said.

Macron emphasized that the goal of the conference "is to establish a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the existence and security of Israel." He added that any such state would exclude any Hamas leaders. Macron said that the Israeli-Iranian conflict, the war in Gaza, and the situation of Palestinians in the region are all "interconnected."

On Friday, Macron spoke with 10 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about the Israeli strikes on Iran and their consequences.

One of the goals of the UN conference was to increase the number of countries recognizing the Palestinian territories as an independent state. To date, more than 145 of the 193 UN member states have recognized it. The Palestinians see their state as including Gaza and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital.