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L'Orient-Le Jour
29 minutes ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Washington says UN conference an 'insult' to the victims of Oct. 7
In a scathing statement released July 28, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced that the United States would boycott the U.N. conference on the two-state solution, which began Monday in New York at the initiative of Paris and Riyadh, ahead of a General Assembly summit in September. Describing the event as a "publicity stunt" detrimental to ongoing diplomatic efforts, Washington is sending a clear message: for the Rubio administration, this is not the time for grand international gatherings, but for on-the-ground diplomacy that is firm and resolute. "This conference does not promote peace. It extends the war, strengthens Hamas, rewards obstruction and undermines real efforts for peace," Bruce declared. Using especially strong language, she denounces an initiative that, in her view, plays into Hamas's hands and betrays the memory of Israeli victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, already highly critical of unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, sees this conference as an "affront to the hostages still held in the tunnels" of Gaza and a reward for terrorism. The United States will therefore not take part in what it calls an "insult" and promises to continue "carrying out concrete efforts" to achieve lasting peace. A direct dig at Emmanuel Macron The American statement doesn't just blast the U.N. It directly targets French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently announced that France was ready to recognize a Palestinian state. This position, seen by Washington as counterproductive, would, according to Bruce, "have been applauded by Hamas," which she says is further proof of its harm to cease-fire negotiations. In a sharply worded comment, the spokesperson adds: "This reflects a pattern of counterproductive gestures that only serve to encourage Hamas, hinder a cease-fire, and undermine our diplomatic efforts to end the suffering in Gaza." A strategic break with the UN The boycott of this conference marks a turning point. By distancing itself from an initiative supported by several Security Council members, including France, Spain, and certain Arab countries, the United States is taking a breakaway stance. U.S. diplomacy under Rubio favors bilateral channels, far removed from the multilateral forums it now accuses of "maintaining the illusion of their relevance." This position also reveals the vision of the Trump II administration: without full alignment with Israeli security priorities, there can be no credible peace process. Recognition of a Palestinian state without guarantees of demilitarization is seen as a red line. A tense conference The U.N. conference on the two-state solution, announced as a milestone toward lasting peace in the Middle East, thus opened Monday in a chilly atmosphere. The absence of the heavyweight United States weakens its impact but could also reveal deep divides. On one side, advocates of diplomatic recognition of the Palestinian people as a lever for peace; on the other, supporters of a hardline security approach to Hamas, prioritizing the release of hostages and the neutralization of armed groups. Between the two, the U.N. is trying to keep alive a diplomatic option many consider moribund.
Ya Libnan
5 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
Calls for two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians at UN grow louder
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan at the UN headquarters in New York, July 28, 2025. © Timothy A. Clary, AFP France said a two-state solution is the only path for Israelis and Palestinians at a UN conference co-hosted with Saudi Arabia on Monday, which Israel boycotted and the US called a 'stunt'. Days earlier, President Macron pledged to recognise Palestinian statehood by September, drawing backlash from Israel and Washington . There is no alternative to a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians , France told a UN conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia Monday that was boycotted by Israel and branded a stunt by Washington. 'Only a political, two-state solution will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. There is no alternative,' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at the start of the three-day meeting. Days before the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. Luxembourg hinted Monday that it could follow France and recognise a Palestinian state in September, with the possibility that other countries could announce similar plans when the conference resumes Tuesday. 'All states have a responsibility to act now,' said Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa at the start of the meeting, calling for an international force to help underwrite Palestinian statehood. He called for the world to recognise Palestinian statehood, while later demanding that Hamas surrender control of the Gaza Strip and its arms as part of a deal to end fighting in the territory. France is hoping Britain will follow its lead. More than 200 British members of parliament on Friday voiced support for the idea, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that recognition of a Palestinian state 'must be part of a wider plan'. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the meeting 'the two-state solution is farther than ever before'. According to an AFP database, at least 147 of the 193 UN member states now recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988. In 1947, in a resolution approved by the General Assembly, the United Nations decided to partition Palestine, then under a British mandate, into Jewish and Arab states. Israel was proclaimed in 1948. For decades, most UN members have supported a two-state solution with Israel and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side. But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible. The current war in Gaza started following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel, which responded with a large-scale military response that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and destroyed most infrastructure in the enclave. Barrot said it would be an 'illusion to think that you can get to a lasting ceasefire without having an outline of what's going to happen in Gaza after the end of the war and having a political horizon'. READ MORE Israel announces 'tactical pause' to fighting in 3 Gaza areas, aid airdrops begin Israeli unilateral actions' Beyond facilitating conditions for recognising Palestine, the meeting will focus on three other issues: reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian public life, and normalisation of relations with Israel by Arab states. However, no new normalisation deals are expected to be announced at the meeting, according to a French diplomatic source. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said US President Donald Trump could be a 'catalyst' to ending the war in Gaza and jump-starting the two-state solution, stressing Riyadh had no plans to normalize relations with Israel. Following his plea to Trump, the US State Department labeled the three-day event 'unproductive and ill-timed', as well as a 'publicity stunt' that would make finding peace harder. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said action was needed to counter Israeli 'settlements, land confiscation (and) encroachments on the holy sites'. Israel and the United States were not taking part in the meeting, amid growing international pressure on Israel to end nearly two years of war in Gaza. Despite 'tactical pauses' announced by Israel, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza will dominate speeches. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said 'this conference does not promote a solution.' AFP France 24
Ya Libnan
5 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
‘There is no alternative to the two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict': Watch
There is 'no alternative' to a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians, France told a UN conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia. Days before the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would formally recognize a State of Palestine in September. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney welcomes Dr. Gershon Baskin, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Alliance for Two States, Middle East Director of the International Communities Organisation, Advisor to both Israeli, Palestinian and International Prime Ministers on the Middle East Peace Process.
