New York (UNA/WAFA) - The high-level international conference on resolving the Palestinian issue through peaceful means and implementing the two-state solution will begin today, Monday, in New York City, amid anticipation of further recognition of the independent and sovereign State of Palestine.
A large number of UN member states, as well as international and regional organizations, are participating in the conference, which is co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of France.
The conference is scheduled to open with a speech by French President Emmanuel Macron, followed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The conference will begin at 3:00 PM New York time, 10:00 PM Jerusalem time, and is expected to last three hours.
On the 19th of this month, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in favor of President Mahmoud Abbas's participation in a video-recorded speech at the annual meeting of world leaders in New York.
The resolution, which was supported by 145 countries, authorized the State of Palestine to deliver statements via video or to submit a pre-recorded statement at the sessions of the high-level conference on the settlement of the Palestinian issue and the two-state solution.
It was also permitted to submit pre-recorded statements to its President or other high-level representative at any high-level meeting or conference of the United Nations and international meetings, held under the auspices of the General Assembly, or as appropriate if representatives of the State of Palestine were prevented from participating in United Nations meetings.
The General Assembly expressed its regret over the decision of the United States of America to deny visas to representatives of the State of Palestine and to cancel the visas granted to them prior to the 80th session of the General Assembly, thus preventing them from participating in person in United Nations meetings.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in partnership with France, co-chaired the preparatory meetings for the high-level international conference on peaceful settlements at United Nations headquarters during April and May 2025. Specialized working groups were established to prepare for the conference and determine practical outcomes.
The two-state solution conference was originally scheduled to be held in June 2025, but was postponed due to the Israeli war on Iran. France and Saudi Arabia decided to hold it in two phases: the first was held on July 28 at the United Nations headquarters in New York at the foreign ministers' level.
The meeting resulted in the "New York Declaration," which included a set of key provisions focusing on international positions and commitments regarding the peace process and the two-state solution. The declaration also stipulates "concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps" toward a two-state solution.
The declaration emphasized "the need to take collective action to end the war in Gaza," and "Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and its handover to the Palestinian Authority," in accordance with the "one government, one law, one weapon" principle.
The declaration also affirmed that war, occupation, and forced displacement will not achieve peace or security, and that only a political solution can achieve that goal. It emphasized that ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and implementing the two-state solution is the only way to fulfill legitimate aspirations, in accordance with international law.
The declaration emphasized that Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian state and must be unified with the West Bank. It also emphasized the need to establish a transitional administrative committee immediately to operate in Gaza after the ceasefire, under the umbrella of the Palestinian National Authority.
The New York Declaration affirmed its commitment to mobilizing political and financial support for the Palestinian Authority to help it strengthen its institutional capacity, implement its reform program, and assume its responsibilities throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. It also emphasized the need for the immediate release of withheld Palestinian tax revenues, the establishment of a new framework for the transfer of clearance revenues, and the full integration of Palestine into the international monetary and financial system, ensuring sustainable, long-term banking relations.
He called for preserving the legal and historical status quo at Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and for a commitment to adopting restrictive measures against violent extremist settlers and entities and individuals who support illegal settlements, in accordance with international law.
It also calls on Israel to issue a clear and public commitment to the two-state solution, including a sovereign and viable Palestinian state, to immediately end violence and incitement against Palestinians, to cease all settlement activities, land seizures, and annexation actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, to publicly abandon any annexation projects or settlement policies, and to end settler violence.
The New York Declaration affirms that coexistence and normal relations between the peoples and countries of the region can only be achieved by ending the occupation and establishing a sovereign Palestinian state.
On September 12, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution, adopting by an overwhelming majority (142 votes) the "New York Declaration" supporting the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Expectations of new recognition of the Palestinian state:
Today's meeting in New York at the level of heads of state comes at a particularly critical time, given the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation of colonialism and attacks by the occupying forces and settlers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
Several additional countries are expected to announce their official recognition of the Palestinian state during the conference, including: Malta, Luxembourg, France, New Zealand, Armenia, Belgium, San Marino, and Andorra.
Four countries officially recognized the State of Palestine yesterday, Sunday: Britain, Canada, Portugal, and Australia, bringing the number of countries recognizing the State of Palestine to 153 out of 193 member states of the United Nations.
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