General Assembly members vote on two-state solution

General Assembly members vote on two-state solution

Two-state solution summit to be held today amid concerns over US and Israeli reactions

France and Saudi Arabia plan to bring together dozens of world leaders to rally support for the two-state solution. Several are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state, a move that could provoke violent reactions from Israel and the United States.

 Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said last Thursday that "Israel and the United States will boycott the summit," describing the event as a "circus." He added, "We believe it's not helpful. We believe it actually rewards terrorism."

Threat of West Bank annexation

Israeli officials said that Israel is considering the possibility of retaliating by annexing part of the occupied West Bank, in addition to taking specific bilateral measures against Paris. The US administration has also warned of potential consequences for those who take action against Israel, including France, whose President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the summit in New York.

The summit, which precedes this week's UN General Assembly, comes in the wake of a long-threatened Israeli ground offensive on Gaza City and amid dwindling prospects for a ceasefire nearly two years after the war in the Strip erupted following a Hamas attack on Israel. With Israel intensifying its assault on Gaza and Israeli settler violence escalating in the West Bank, there is a growing sense of urgency to act now before the two-state solution fades forever.

Two-state solution

This month, the UN General Assembly adopted a seven-page declaration outlining "concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps" toward a two-state solution, condemning Hamas and demanding its surrender and disarmament. These efforts were immediately criticized by Israel and the United States, who described them as harmful and a mere propaganda ploy.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters on Thursday, "The New York Declaration is not a vague promise for the distant future, but rather a roadmap that begins with the top priorities: a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Gaza." He added, "Once the ceasefire and the release of hostages are achieved, the next step will be to develop a plan for what comes after, which will be on the agenda for Monday's discussions."

France was behind the move, hoping that Macron's July announcement of his intention to recognize a Palestinian state would give greater momentum to a movement currently dominated by smaller but more critical countries of Israel. Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal all recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday. France and five other countries are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday.

Some said there were conditions, while others said normalization of diplomatic relations would be gradual and depend on the Palestinian Authority's progress on its reform promises. Israel has said it opposes the move and does not trust 89-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to fulfill his pledges of reform and modernization, as outlined in a letter to Macron earlier this year.

Abbas' Absence

Abbas and dozens of Palestinian officials will not attend the summit because the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has refused to issue visas for them. He is scheduled to participate via video link. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not attend, despite co-hosting the event.

The General Assembly on Friday approved by consensus, without a vote, that he could appear via video link at today's meeting. "The world is loudly calling for a Palestinian state, and we must make it happen," said Farseen Aghabakian Shahin, Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Affairs. "Now they must show what those measures are."