France, Saudi Arabia to spearhead UN 'two-state' plan
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France and Saudi Arabia lead UN talks to revive the "two-state solution" and push for Palestinian recognition.
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French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the army leaders at the Hotel le Brienne, Sunday, July 13, 2025, ahead of the Bastille Day parade in Paris (AP)
Starting Monday, France and Saudi Arabia will spearhead efforts to rejuvenate the stalled initiative for a "two-state solution" between "Israel" and Palestine during a UN conference in New York.
Just ahead of the July 28-30 conference, which will be jointly chaired by Riyadh and Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed his intention to officially recognize the State of Palestine in September.
"Israel" and the United States will not take part in the meeting, while international pressure continues to mount on the Israeli entity to end nearly two years of war on Gaza.
Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, stated that Paris' decision "will breathe new life into a conference that seemed destined to irrelevance," adding that "Macron's announcement changes the game. Other participants will be scrabbling to decide if they should also declare an intent to recognise Palestine."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot revealed in an interview for the French weekly La Tribune Dimanche that other European countries would announce "their intention to recognise the State of Palestine" during the conference, though he did not specify which nations would do so.
France is reportedly hoping for Britain to join in recognizing Palestine, with more than 200 British MPs pressuring Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take action on Friday, though he maintained that such recognition "must be part of a wider plan."
The history of Palestine's recognition
An AFP database shows that at least 142 out of the 193 UN member states, with France among them, currently recognize the Palestinian state.
Following more than 21 months of war on Gaza, coupled with the continuous growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and statements from Israeli officials about plans to "annex" occupied land, concerns are mounting that the establishment of a viable Palestinian state may become geographically unfeasible.
Addressing the ongoing crisis, the conference will bring together Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa along with numerous ministers from across the globe, with the French Foreign Minister Barrot emphasizing that the gathering coincides with a critical juncture where "the prospect of a Palestinian state has never been so threatened, or so necessary."
Three focuses
According to the concept note issued by the organizing bodies, the conference aims to: mobilize international momentum for the Palestinian cause; build on national, regional, and international initiatives; adopt concrete measures to enhance respect for international law; and support a just and lasting political solution that guarantees security for all.
Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour emphasized that the conference presents a crucial chance to turn international law and global consensus into a concrete, actionable strategy while showing determination to permanently resolve the occupation and war for everyone's benefit, urging attendees to demonstrate bold leadership in this endeavor.
