The United Nations will convene a “High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” at its headquarters, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.

Originally scheduled for June at the heads-of-state level, the meeting was postponed following an Israeli strike on Iran and will now take place at the ministerial level. French Foreign Minister will represent France at the event.

The United States has announced it will not attend the conference, reflecting ongoing divisions among key international actors on the Palestinian issue.

In a significant development, French President Emmanuel Macron declared on 24 July that France will officially recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September, signaling a shift in European engagement with the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

The conference aims to reinvigorate efforts towards a two-state solution amid a backdrop of escalating tensions and stalled negotiations.

The event represents an important opportunity for the international community to recommit to diplomacy and peaceful resolution, though the absence of the United States highlights the challenges ahead in achieving consensus.

Agencies.