UN conference on Palestinian State postponed because of Middle East tensions
A top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians scheduled for next week has been postponed amid surging tensions in the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday (June 13, 2025).
France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-chair the conference hosted by the UN General Assembly in New York on June 17-20, and Mr. Macron had been among leaders scheduled to attend. The Palestinian Authority hoped the conference would revive the long-defunct peace process.
Israel-Iran conflict LIVE
Mr. Macron expressed his "determination to recognise the state of Palestine" at some point, despite the postponement. France has pushed for a broader movement toward recognising a Palestinian state in parallel with recognition of Israel and its right to defend itself.
After Israel's strikes on Iran on Friday, Macron said that France's military forces around the Middle East are ready to help protect partners in the region, including Israel, but would not take part in any attacks on Iran.
Also Read | What the IAEA's non-compliance resolution means for Iran, and the world
Mr. Macron told reporters that the two-state conference was postponed for logistical and security reasons, and because some Palestinian representatives could not come to the event. He insisted that it would be held "as soon as possible" and that he was in discussion with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a new date.
The UN ambassadors from France and Saudi Arabia said in a letter to the 193 UN member nations that the delay is "due to the current circumstances in the Middle East that prevent regional leaders from attending the conference in New York".
France's Jerome Bonnafont and Saudi Arabia's Abdulaziz Alwasil said the conference will open on June 17 in the General Assembly hall, but only to propose and agree to its suspension. They invited all countries to attend the opening.
"We are determined to resume the conference at the earliest possible date," the two ambassadors said.
Mr. Macron said the aim of the conference "is a demilitarised Palestinian state recognising the existence and the security of Israel". Any such state would exclude any Hamas leaders, he said.
Mr. Macron said that the Israel-Iran conflict, the war in Gaza and the situation for Palestinians around the region are all "interlinked".
Mr. Macron spoke on Friday with 10 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about the Israeli strikes on Iran and consequences.
One of the aims at the UN conference was to increase the number of countries recognising Palestinian territories as an independent state. So far, more than 145 of the 193 UN member nations have done so. The Palestinians view their state as encompassing Gaza and the West Bank with east Jerusalem as the capital.
Mr. Netanyahu has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, and Israel refused to participate in the conference. (AP) RC
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
15 minutes ago
- News18
Iranian Foreign Minister Appreciates 'India's Solidarity' With Tehran During Call With Jaishankar
During the call, EAM S Jaishankar underscored the importance of coordinated international efforts to reduce tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi spoke over the phone with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, expressing appreciation for India's show of 'solidarity with Iran" and its condemnation of the 'Israeli regime's aggression." According to a post by Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X, Jaishankar conveyed 'deep sympathies of the government and people of India to the government and people of Iran" in light of the recent attacks by the 'Israeli regime," which led to civilian casualties. During the call, Jaishankar underscored the importance of coordinated international efforts to reduce tensions. He also referenced his earlier conversation with the French foreign minister, reaffirming India's stance in favour of de-escalation and dialogue. Araghchi, in response, welcomed India's expression of solidarity and condemnation of Israeli actions. He remarked, 'We were in the middle of a diplomatic process and engaged in consultations with our Omani counterpart to prepare for a new round of talks with representatives of the US government but the Israeli regime's acts of aggression including attacking Iran, assassinating military commanders, and killing civilians and academic elites derailed the diplomatic path." Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Iran released a statement highlighting Jaishankar's message during the exchange. 'EAM conveyed the deep concern of the international community at the turn of events. He urged avoidance of any escalatory steps and an early return to diplomacy," the embassy said in a post on X. Middle East Tensions Soar Tensions surged on Friday after the Israel Defense Forces announced a series of 'precise, preemptive" strikes inside Iran, targeting sites linked to its nuclear program. IDF spokesperson BG Effie Defrin said the move was in direct response to ongoing threats and aggression from Tehran. Later that day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the launch of 'Operation Rising Lion," a major military campaign aimed at neutralising what he called an 'existential threat" posed by Iran's nuclear and missile programs. 'Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," Netanyahu said, vowing to continue the mission 'for as many days as it takes to remove this threat." Jaishankar also shared details of his call with Araghchi on X, writing, 'Spoke to Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this evening on the latest situation." First Published: June 14, 2025, 20:58 IST
News18
15 minutes ago
- News18
Israel's Big Claims: Air Superiority From Western Iran To Tehran, Strikes On Nuclear Sites
Last Updated: The Israeli military said its military campaign in Iran had secured control of the airspace from Western Iran to Tehran as the two countries exchanged fire for a second day. The Israeli military said on Saturday that its military campaign in Iran had secured control of the airspace from Western Iran to Tehran, where 70 fighter jets carried out airstrikes overnight in one of the biggest direct attacks between the two sworn enemies. 'We have created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran," said Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin. 'Tehran is no longer immune, the capital is exposed to Israeli strikes," he added. Defrin said some 40 sites were targeted in Israel's offensive, including air defence systems and related assets. 'The dozens of aircraft are flying freely over Tehran, thanks to the opening blow that removed the threat of Iranian air defence systems," he added. The Israeli military launched a devastating offensive against Iran, targeting its nuclear and military infrastructure under Operation Rising Lion. The military killed most of Iran's military leadership and nuclear scientists involved in Tehran's controversial nuclear programme. The IDF said at least 20 top military Iranian commanders have been killed since Israel launched its operation against Iran on Friday, including Army Chief Mohammed Bagheri, who 'oversaw most of Iran's long-range surface-to-surface and cruise missile capabilities". The military also released a video of Israeli strikes, showing it dismantling some of Iran's most dangerous military assets, from nuclear sites to air defence systems. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces dealt 'serious damage" to Iran's nuclear programme and threatened to strike 'every target of the ayatollah regime" in Iran. He said the Israeli campaign delayed Iran's nuclear programme by several years. Iran-Israel Conflict Continues Meanwhile, Israel continued to strike several sites in Iran after Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv overnight, leaving three people dead and 70 others injured. According to Iranian media, an Israeli strike on Saturday killed three members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the country's northwest. A police chief and another officer were killed in a drone strike about 300 km from Tehran. (with agency inputs) First Published: June 14, 2025, 21:01 IST
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
After SCO statement on Iran-Israel tensions, India says no change in its position
India on Saturday (June 14, 2025) asserted that its position on the Israel-Iran situation remains as stated earlier and urged the international community to utilise channels of dialogue and diplomacy towards de-escalation, after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) issued a statement critical of Israel's military strikes. India had on Friday said it was "deeply concerned" at the recent developments between Iran and Israel and "closely monitoring" the evolving situation, even as New Delhi had urged both countries to avoid any escalatory steps. SCO condemns Israel's attack on Iran The statement by SCO dated June 14 said, "The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) express serious concern over the escalating tensions in the Middle East and strongly condemn the military strikes carried out by Israel on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran on June 13." China currently holds the chairmanship of the SCO. The influential economic and security bloc's members include Russia, India and Pakistan. The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation established in 2001 in Shanghai in China by Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO statement on the Israel-Iran situation claimed, "Such aggressive actions (by Israel) against civilian targets, including energy and transport infrastructure, which have resulted in civilian casualties, are a gross violation of international law and the United Nations Charter." They constitute an "infringement on Iran's sovereignty", cause damage to regional and international security, and pose "serious risks to global peace and stability," it argued. "The SCO member states firmly advocate for the resolution of the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program exclusively through peaceful, political, and diplomatic means," the SCO statement said. India's association with the SCO began in 2005 as an observer country. It became a full member state of SCO at the Astana summit in 2017. Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017. Iran in July 2023 had become a permanent member of the SCO at an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping. MEA statement on Israel-Iran conflict The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India had communicated its position to other SCO members and did not participate in the discussions on the statement. Our Statement on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)⬇️ 🔗 — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 14, 2025 "The SCO has issued a statement on recent developments between Israel and Iran. India's own position on the matter had been articulated by us on 13 June 2025, and remains the same," the MEA said in a statement. "We urge that channels of dialogue and diplomacy be utilised to work towards de-escalation and it is essential that the international community undertake endeavours in that direction," it said. What does this MEA statement really mean? It seems to suggest that Israel can attack Iran but that Iran should exercise restraint and not climb the escalatory ladder. Have we been reduced to being an abject apologist for Israel? We cannot even condemn Israel's attacks on and… — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 14, 2025 The MEA further said the "overall position of India as stated above was communicated to other SCO members". "Keeping that in mind, India did not participate in the discussions on the above-mentioned SCO statement," it added. In its statement on Saturday, the MEA said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar too discussed this matter with his Iranian counterpart on Friday and "conveyed the deep concern of the international community at the turn of events". "He also urged the avoidance of any escalatory steps and an early return to diplomacy," the statement said.
