UN member states, prompted by France's decision to recognize Palestine next week, are seeking to revive the two-state solution at a meeting absent Israel, which is under pressure to end the war in Gaza.
The conference, convened by the UN General Assembly and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, was scheduled to be held in June at the highest level. After being postponed due to Israel's war on Iran, ministerial-level meetings are being held in New York on Monday, in preparation for a summit expected in September.
Ahead of the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that he would formally recognize the State of Palestine in September.
While the conference is not expected to have "significant impact," Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said, "Macron's announcement changes the equation." He explained to AFP, "Other participants will quickly consider whether they, too, should announce their intention to recognize Palestine."
Among the major powers France wants to persuade to take this step is the United Kingdom. However, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed on Friday that recognition must be "part of a more comprehensive plan," while Germany said it has no intention of doing so "in the near term."
A list compiled by Agence France-Presse indicates that at least 142 of the 193 UN member states, including France, now recognize the State of Palestine, which was declared by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.
In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to partition Palestine, then under British Mandate, into two independent states, one Jewish and the other Arab. The following year, the State of Israel was declared, following the displacement of the Palestinian people and the Nakba.
For decades, the vast majority of the international community has supported the principle of a two-state solution, in which Israelis and Palestinians live side by side.
However, after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, and the continued construction and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which far-right Israeli parties are demanding to be annexed, fears are growing that the establishment of a Palestinian state is impossible.
Hence, the idea for the conference, which is expected to be attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and dozens of ministers from around the world.
The meeting comes at a time when the two-state solution has become "weaker than ever" and "more necessary than ever," according to a French diplomatic source.
In addition to building momentum for recognizing the State of Palestine, the conference will focus on three other areas: reforming Palestinian Authority institutions, disarming Hamas and removing it from power, and Arab states normalizing their relations with Israel.
However, the diplomatic source said that no announcements regarding normalization with Israel are expected next week.
Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour stated a few days ago that the conference "provides a unique opportunity to transform international law and international consensus into a realistic plan, and to demonstrate resolve to end the occupation and bring a final end to the conflict," calling for "courage."
However, Israel and the United States will not participate in the meeting. Jonathan Haronov, spokesman for the Israeli delegation, justified its non-participation by saying that the conference "does not address the urgent need to condemn Hamas and allow the return of all hostages" held in Gaza, in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
The humanitarian catastrophe facing the residents of the small, devastated, and besieged Gaza Strip is expected to be the focus of speeches delivered by representatives of more than 100 countries at the conference, which will take place from Monday to Wednesday.
Richard Gowan expects speakers to be "sharply critical of Israel," given the growing outrage over the tragedy unfolding before the world's eyes in Gaza.
שתף את דעתך
The United Nations is holding a conference next week "in an effort to revive the two-state solution."