NEW YORK, Sep 22 : Recognition of a Palestinian state is set to dominate proceedings at the 80th UN General Assembly session beginning September 23, as France and Saudi Arabia hold an international peace conference on Monday in support of a two-state solution.
Of the 193 existing UN member states, around 150 now recognize a Palestinian state.
On Sunday, ahead of the UNGA, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Portugal became the latest to voice support for Palestinian statehood. Several more countries are expected to officially announce similar recognition.
Israel and the United States are to boycott Monday’s summit, said Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon, describing the event as a “circus”. “We don’t think it’s helpful. We think it’s actually rewarding terrorism,” he told reporters.
Six more countries – France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino and Andorra – are set to announce their recognition on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the recognitions as well as the idea of Palestinian statehood, and vowed to respond upon his return from the UN.
Rejecting the planned international conference in a statement on Sunday, PM Netanyahu said: “I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre on October 7th, 2023: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism.”
“And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.,” he declared.
The recognition for Palestinian statehood comes as some Israeli government ministers are pushing Tel Aviv to annex part of the West Bank in response.
Saudi Arabia has warned that West Bank annexation would have “major implications”. The UAE, with which Israel has relations, has also called annexation a “red line”.
Leaders from the UK, France, and Canada have maintained that there should be an end to the war in Gaza, including the immediate release of all remaining hostages, and the understanding that Hamas would no longer be a leading authority in Gaza after the war.
The US was one of only 10 countries who voted against the General Assembly resolution backing the high-level gathering. US officials have said the recognition is largely “performative” and “symbolic” and will do nothing to help mend the relationship between the Palestinians and the Israeli government.
“I think much of that is a reaction to several nations around the world deciding to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio on reports that Israel was seriously debating annexing parts of the West Bank.
The US last month moved to deny and revoke visas to the Palestinian delegation, including for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of Monday’s international conference, accusing the Palestinian leadership of undermining peace efforts.
The Palestinian state holds permanent observer status at the UN and is not a full-blown member state.
But on Friday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelming to allow Abbas to address this week’s gathering of world leaders virtually after the Trump administration declined to grant Abbas a visa. The motion passed by a vote of 145-5 with six abstentions. The US and Israel voted against the motion.
(UNI)
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