France, Saudi Arabia сonvene UN Summit to push for recognition of Palestinian State

The summit began with French President Emmanuel Macron announcing that France officially recognizes the Palestinian state, followed by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, who reiterated that two states are the only path to lasting peace.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock delivered addresses on the issue, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke via video after the US denied visas to his delegation.

“This conference must mark a turning point. It must pave the way for irreversible progress to put an end to the illegal occupation and to make good on our collective aspiration. All of this is fully in line with adherence to international law. It has been approved by the General Assembly and supported by the international community,” Guterres stated.

He emphasized that resolving the conflict is vital beyond the countries involved.

“It is the only credible path towards a just and lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and the only credible path towards peace and security throughout the Middle East as a whole. This will demand difficult decisions be taken from us all. This will demand courage and leadership based on principles from all sides. I urge you to do everything in your power to allow the two-state solution to prevail. This for the peoples of Israel, Palestine and for humankind as a whole.”

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock echoed the call for a two-state solution as “the only way to ensure that future generations of both Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security, and dignity,” urging a ceasefire.

“Israel must immediately facilitate the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered entry and delivery of humanitarian assistance to all Palestinian civilians. Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all remaining hostages,” she said. “The message we are sending today is no, we are not giving up. The international community does not only remain committed to the two-state solution; we are also identifying tangible, time-bound, and irreversible steps for its realization. And we are willing to take decisive measures and provide international guarantees," she said.

The United Kingdom, Monaco, Canada, Australia, Slovenia, and Portugal have already announced their recognition of Palestine. Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino, and Andorra are expected to join that list today. Meanwhile, US and Israeli delegations were absent from the event, as both nations are boycotting the summit.

Israel is also discussing measures against France, including limiting its diplomatic presence and security cooperation. Washington has announced possible consequences for countries that oppose Israeli interests.

The summit is taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, within the framework of the UN General Assembly that also marked the UN's 80th anniversary.