Famine spreads in Gaza, UN to host two-state solution conference

NEW YORK: As the international community braces for the two-state solution conference in New York on July 28-29, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, expectations are high for renewed political will to end decades of conflict and push forward a viable peace. The conference arrives amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza and a historic diplomatic shift: France’s decision to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

The event — officially titled the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution — is being described as both urgent and historic.

The backdrop is grim: since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis, including 50 French nationals, the war in Gaza has taken an unimaginable toll. More than 56,000 Palestinians have died, and the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure and social fabric are in ruins.

From the outset, Saudi Arabia has underscored that recognizing the State of Palestine is not merely symbolic but a “strategic necessity” for regional peace. Ahead of the conference, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan issued a statement saying that the kingdom “spares no effort in supporting all endeavors aimed at achieving just peace in the region and globally. It consistently stresses the importance of implementing the two-state solution through political, diplomatic, and international efforts, as it is a strategic choice that ensures regional and global peace and security.

“From this standpoint came the Kingdom’s presidency — together with the French Republic — of the international conference at the ministerial level to settle the Palestinian issue peacefully.”

He stressed that the conference is aimed at pushing toward the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions that call for the establishment of a two-state solution “where the Palestinian people can exercise their right to self-determination. This will bring peace and stability to the region and support sustainable development and prosperity.”

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Riyadh had intensified efforts to galvanize international consensus ahead of the summit. Manal Radwan, counselor at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that a just resolution to the Palestinian question is “the cornerstone of a new regional order based on mutual recognition and coexistence.”

Slovenia’s permanent representative to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, told Arab News: “The main goal of the conference is to mobilize concrete political, security, and economic support for the implementation of the two-state solution. This should result in an independent, sovereign, and democratic Palestinian state that will coexist in peace and security with Israel.”

Slovenia was one of 10 countries that during Israel’s continuing war on Gaza has formally recognized Palestine, alongside Ireland, Spain and Norway.

UK Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward also underlined the importance of the summit. She told Arab News: “The United Kingdom is resolute in our commitment to a two-state solution and my foreign secretary has been clear that we are prepared to take further action to prevent the forcible erosion of the only viable path to lasting peace. Next week’s conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is a vital opportunity to demonstrate the strength of international resolve to secure a better future for Israelis, Palestinians and the region.”

One of the most consequential developments ahead of the summit is President Emmanuel Macron’s July 24 announcement that France will formally recognize Palestine, with the official declaration to be made at the UN General Assembly in September.

“There is no alternative,” Macron said on X. “We must immediately secure a ceasefire, release all hostages, and provide massive humanitarian aid to Gaza. But above all, we must build the State of Palestine … demilitarized, viable, and coexisting with Israel in full recognition and peace.”

Reactions were swift. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the decision, calling it a step toward justice and international legitimacy. Hussein Al Sheikh, vice president of the PLO, praised France’s “commitment to international law and Palestinian rights.”

Israel condemned the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it “rewards terrorism” and accused France of helping to legitimize what could become “an Iranian proxy state.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the decision “a disgrace.”

The United States also criticized France’s stance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it would embolden Hamas and complicate peace efforts.

Despite the pushback, analysts say France’s move could tip the balance internationally. Already, 147 of 193 UN member states — nearly 75 percent — recognize Palestine, including nearly all of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. France would be the first G7 country to join that group. The US, Canada, Australia, Germany, and the UK still do not, citing the need for direct negotiations with Israel.

A French diplomatic official briefing journalists ahead of the summit described it as the start of a broader process, not a one-off event. The goal: revive the political momentum for a two-state outcome, even as that vision faces historic setbacks.

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The conference will center around four key thematic areas, or “baskets,” intended to remove obstacles to implementing a Palestinian state:

The first basket will focus on recognition of Palestine. France, Saudi Arabia, and their partners will seek to rally additional countries to formally recognize Palestinian statehood. Recognition, the organizers argue, will strengthen moderate voices, most notably the Palestinian Authority, and help push back against radical and extremist factions such as Hamas.

The second area involves normalization and regional integration. While no new normalization agreements are expected, Arab and Muslim states will be encouraged to reaffirm their readiness to normalize relations with Israel — but only if credible progress is made toward Palestinian statehood. The message is that full diplomatic, economic, and security integration in the region is within reach — if peace is pursued.

The third pillar is the reform of Palestinian governance. President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly pledged a series of major reforms in a letter to the conference organizers. These include a public condemnation of the Octo. 7 attacks, support for the unconditional release of hostages, and a commitment to disarm Hamas. Abbas has also vowed to end the controversial “pay-for-slay” program, under which stipends are paid to families of convicted attackers, and to reform Palestinian educational materials, including textbooks. Most significantly, Abbas has pledged to hold elections within a year, and to ensure that any future Palestinian state would be fully demilitarized — a long-standing Israeli demand.

The fourth and final basket centers on the disarmament and exclusion of Hamas. Conference organizers underline that Hamas must have no role in the future Palestinian state — a stance shared by Israel, France, and many others. Disarmament is being framed as essential to any secure and lasting peace.

The conference will convene foreign ministers and diplomats from dozens of countries and will build upon the work of eight working groups, each focusing on areas such as security, humanitarian aid, and post-war reconstruction.

In parallel, widespread international criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza is mounting. On July 21, the foreign ministers of 26 countries, including Canada, the UK, France, Japan, and most of the EU, jointly declared:

“The war in Gaza must end now … The suffering of civilians has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous and deprives Gazans of human dignity … Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international law.”

They urged an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, and rejected Israel’s settlement expansion plans, including the E1 project, which would bisect any future Palestinian state.

A follow-up summit is planned in September at the UN General Assembly, to be co-chaired by President Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. For now, all eyes are on New York, where the July conference may offer the last best hope to revive a solution that once seemed within reach — but now hangs by a thread.

Famine spreads in Gaza, UN to host two-state solution conference

ARAB NEWS