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France and Saudi Arabia on Monday convened dozens of world leaders in an effort to win more countries’ support for the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The move could provoke strong reactions from Israel and the United States.
Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said Israel and the U.S. would boycott the summit, describing it as a “circus act.”
Israeli officials said possible responses under consideration include annexing parts of the West Bank and taking specific bilateral measures against France.
The U.S. government also warned that countries treating Israel in this way — including France, which is hosting the summit in New York — could face consequences.
The international conference on implementing the “two-state solution,” convened by France and Saudi Arabia, will take place on Monday, September 22 (U.S. Eastern Time) at UN headquarters in New York. France and five other countries are expected to announce their recognition of the State of Palestine at the event.
Because the U.S. previously refused to issue visas to members of the Palestinian delegation, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not be able to attend the summit in person and will instead deliver a speech via video. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, co-host of the summit, will also speak via video link.
The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced their recognition of the State of Palestine on Sunday, September 21. The U.S. said these countries were merely “putting on a show.”
A U.S. State Department spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP on Sunday: “Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not theatrics. Our priorities are clear: the release of the hostages, the security of Israel, and peace and prosperity in the entire region — all of which can only be achieved once Hamas is removed from the equation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that a Palestinian state will not be established and vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu said that for years, despite immense pressure from both at home and abroad, he has prevented the establishment of a “terrorist state” of Palestine. He emphasized that the number of Israeli settlements in the West Bank has doubled in recent years, and Israel will “continue down this path.”
Netanyahu also said he would respond to the recognition of Palestine by multiple countries after returning from his visit to the United States.
So far, about 140 countries have recognized the State of Palestine. The UK and Canada are the first two members of the Group of Seven (G7) to do so.
In an interview broadcast on Sunday by U.S. network CBS, French President Emmanuel Macron said France plans to recognize the State of Palestine, but only after Hamas releases all hostages. Otherwise, France will not open an embassy in Palestine.
Macron also strongly opposed any plan to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip during its reconstruction.
Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, Israel continues its offensive on Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday that more than 550,000 people have evacuated from Gaza City to the south.
The statement said the military had warned civilians in Gaza to leave war zones through leaflets, text messages, and phone calls. Gaza City is home to about one million residents. |
