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Dozens of foreign ministers are set to convene at the United Nations on Monday for a delayed conference aimed at advancing a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. However, both the United States and Israel are boycotting the event, underscoring deep divisions over the path to peace.
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly approved the conference in September 2024, with France and Saudi Arabia co-hosting. Initially scheduled for June, the meeting was postponed after Israel’s strike on Iran. The goal is to establish parameters for a roadmap toward Palestinian statehood while ensuring Israel’s security.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said he would use the gathering to rally international recognition of a Palestinian state, following President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France plans to formally recognize it in September during the U.N. General Assembly. Barrot urged Arab nations to condemn Hamas and support its disarmament by then.
The conference occurs amid a 22-month war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 250 hostages. Israel’s ongoing military campaign has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson criticized the conference as “a gift to Hamas,” reiterating Washington’s opposition to initiatives that, in its view, undermine prospects for a lasting peace. Israel’s U.N. mission also rejected participation, citing the absence of urgent measures to condemn Hamas and secure the release of remaining hostages.
The U.N. has long supported a two-state framework with secure borders. Palestinians seek a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza—territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. Last year, 143 nations backed Palestine’s U.N. membership bid, despite a U.S. Security Council veto blocking full recognition.
