UN conference on Palestine suspended amid regional escalation
NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia, alongside France and a broad coalition of international partners, announced the suspension of the UN conference on Palestine, scheduled to be held at the UN headquarters in New York on June 17-20.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the co-chairs of the United Nations High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, the group regretted the need to suspend the conference due to deteriorating conditions. Expressing deep concern over the continued escalation of violence in the region, the group stressed the urgency of restoring calm and upholding international law.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through a two-state solution. The statement, signed by Saudi Arabia and France —who co-chair the Conference—and supported by working group co-chairs from Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Qatar, Senegal, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the Arab League, emphasized that recent events serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of the region's situation.
Despite the suspension, the co-chairs affirmed that roundtables will proceed as scheduled, aiming to build coordinated and clear commitments that consolidate efforts to implement the two-state solution. The high-level segment of the conference will be reconvened at the earliest opportunity, they noted.
'The situation compels us to double our efforts to call for upholding international law, respecting the sovereignty of states, and advancing peace, liberty, and dignity for all peoples of the region,' the statement emphasized.
The signatories reiterated their collective determination to bring an end to the war in Gaza, achieve a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question, and ensure long-term stability and security for all countries in the region.
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