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The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Saudi Arabia and France to lead UN push for recognising Palestinian statehood
Saudi Arabia and France have opened a three-day conference at the United Nations with the goal of recognising Palestinian statehood as part of a peaceful settlement to end the war in Gaza. The conference began on Monday, just days after the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Paris would officially recognise the Palestinian government in September in an effort to reinvigorate peace talks around a two-state solution that have all but been written off since the deadly Hamas raid and ensuing Israeli military operation that began in 2023. The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, has said that the conference would also serve as a platform for other European countries to recognise Palestinian statehood. While Barrot did not specify which countries he meant, speculation has focused on the United Kingdom, where Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure from Labour MPs to put pressure on Israel to end the war. 'Only a political, two-state solution will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,' Barrot said at the opening of the talks on Monday. 'There is no alternative.' Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said that the kingdom was seeking World Bank approval to transfer $300m to Gaza and the West Bank to counter the dire humanitarian crisis in the territory. He said that Palestinians had a 'legitimate right' to the establishment of an independent state along the borders delineated in 1967 'with East Jerusalem as its capital'. 'This is not merely a political stance, but a firm conviction that an independent Palestinian state is the true key to peace in the region,' he said. The talks are being co-chaired by 16 other countries and delegations, including the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union. The UK does not currently recognise Palestine, but Starmer has come under increasing pressure within Labour to help achieve a diplomatic solution. More than 220 MPs, a third of parliament, signed a letter addressed to Starmer on Friday calling for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state. 'We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality,' the MPs wrote in the letter. Starmer will recall his cabinet from their summer break for an emergency meeting on the Gaza crisis this week and government sources have said that formal recognition of Palestinian statehood was a matter of 'when, not if' under the Labour government. He was also expected to push Donald Trump on the issue of humanitarian aid and a growing crisis of malnourishment and starvation in Gaza. On Monday, two leading human rights organisations based in Israel, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, were reported to say that Israel was committing a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the country's western allies have a legal and moral duty to stop it. 'We need to galvanize other countries in support of getting that aid in, and yes, that does involve putting pressure on Israel, because it absolutely is a humanitarian catastrophe,' said Starmer in remarks alongside the US president on Monday as the two leaders met at Trump's Turnberry golf resort in Scotland to discuss trade and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The talks begin just days after Macron said that France would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, saying that the decision would 'ensure its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the Middle East'. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, condemned Macron's decision, saying that it 'rewards terror' and that a Palestinian state would be a 'launchpad to annihilate Israel'. Israel also criticised the Saudi-French-led conference on Monday. 'This conference does not promote a solution, but rather deepens the illusion. Instead of demanding the release of the hostages and working to dismantle Hamas's reign of terror, the conference organizers are engaging in discussions and plenaries that are disconnected from reality,' said Danny Damon, the Israeli ambassador to the UN. The US has echoed the Israeli sentiment and on Monday called the conference 'unproductive and ill-timed.' 'The United States will not participate in this insult but will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the fighting and deliver a permanent peace,' state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. 'Our focus remains on serious diplomacy: not stage-managed conferences designed to manufacture the appearance of relevance.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Saudi Arabia and France to lead UN push for recognising Palestinian statehood
Saudi Arabia and France have opened a three-day conference at the United Nations with the goal of recognising Palestinian statehood as part of a peaceful settlement to end the war in Gaza. The conference began on Monday, just days after the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Paris would officially recognise the Palestinian government in September in an effort to reinvigorate peace talks around a two-state solution that have all but been written off since the deadly Hamas raid and ensuing Israeli military operation that began in 2023. The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, has said that the conference would also serve as a platform for other European countries to recognise Palestinian statehood. While Barrot did not specify which countries he meant, speculation has focused on the United Kingdom, where Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure from Labour MPs to put pressure on Israel to end the war. 'Only a political, two-state solution will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security,' Barrot said at the opening of the talks on Monday. 'There is no alternative.' Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said that the kingdom was seeking World Bank approval to transfer $300m to Gaza and the West Bank to counter the dire humanitarian crisis in the territory. He said that Palestinians had a 'legitimate right' to the establishment of an independent state along the borders delineated in 1967 'with East Jerusalem as its capital'. 'This is not merely a political stance, but a firm conviction that an independent Palestinian state is the true key to peace in the region,' he said. The talks are being co-chaired by 16 other countries and delegations, including the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union. The UK does not currently recognise Palestine, but Starmer has come under increasing pressure within Labour to help achieve a diplomatic solution. More than 220 MPs, a third of parliament, signed a letter addressed to Starmer on Friday calling for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state. 'We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality,' the MPs wrote in the letter. Starmer will recall his cabinet from their summer break for an emergency meeting on the Gaza crisis this week and government sources have said that formal recognition of Palestinian statehood was a matter of 'when, not if' under the Labour government. He was also expected to push Donald Trump on the issue of humanitarian aid and a growing crisis of malnourishment and starvation in Gaza. On Monday, two leading human rights organisations based in Israel, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, were reported to say that Israel was committing a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the country's western allies have a legal and moral duty to stop it. 'We need to galvanize other countries in support of getting that aid in, and yes, that does involve putting pressure on Israel, because it absolutely is a humanitarian catastrophe,' said Starmer in remarks alongside the US president on Monday as the two leaders met at Trump's Turnberry golf resort in Scotland to discuss trade and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The talks begin just days after Macron said that France would recognise Palestinian statehood in September, saying that the decision would 'ensure its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the Middle East'. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, condemned Macron's decision, saying that it 'rewards terror' and that a Palestinian state would be a 'launchpad to annihilate Israel'. Israel also criticised the Saudi-French-led conference on Monday. 'This conference does not promote a solution, but rather deepens the illusion. Instead of demanding the release of the hostages and working to dismantle Hamas's reign of terror, the conference organizers are engaging in discussions and plenaries that are disconnected from reality,' said Danny Damon, the Israeli ambassador to the UN.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ministers gather at UN for meeting on two-state solution, US, Israel boycott
The conference aims to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel's security. Dozens of ministers will gather at the United Nations on Monday for a delayed conference to work toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, but the US and Israel are boycotting the event. The 193-member UN General Assembly decided in September last year that such a conference would be held in 2025. Hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, the conference was postponed in June afterIsrael attacked Iran. The conference aims to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel's security. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told newspaper La Tribune Dimanche in an interview published on Sunday that he will also use the conference this week to push other countries to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. France intends to recognize aPalestinian state in September at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron said last week. "We will launch an appeal in New York so that other countries join us to initiate an even more ambitious and demanding dynamic that will culminate on September 21," Barrot said, adding that he expected Arab countries by then to condemn Palestinian terrorists Hamas and call for their disarmament. The US will not be in attendance The US will not attend the conference at the United Nations, said a State Department spokesperson, describing it as "a gift to Hamas, which continues to reject ceasefire proposals accepted by Israel that would lead to the release of hostages and bring calm in Gaza." The State Department spokesperson added that Washington voted against the General Assembly last year, calling for the conference, and would "not support actions that jeopardize the prospect for a long-term, peaceful resolution to the conflict." Israel is also not taking part in the conference, "which doesn't first urgently address the issue of condemning Hamas and returning all of the remaining hostages," said Jonathan Harounoff, international spokesperson at Israel's UN mission. The UN has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders. The West Bank, east Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, territories gained by Israel in the 1967 war with neighboring Arab states, are envisioned as the future Palestinian state. The UN General Assembly in May last year overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognizing it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council "reconsider the matter favorably." The resolution garnered 143 votes in favor and nine against. The General Assembly vote was a global survey of support for the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member - a move that would effectively recognize a Palestinian state - after the US vetoed it in the UN Security Council several weeks earlier. Solve the daily Crossword
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
'No alternative' to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians
"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 that he would formally recognize a State of Palestine in September. In an interview with French weekly La Tribune Dimanche, Barrot said that other European countries will confirm "their intention to recognize the State of Palestine" during the conference, without confirming which. "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 deploy to help underwrite Palestinian statehood. "Recognize the state of Palestine without delay." France is hoping that Britain will take this step. More than 200 British members of parliament on Friday voiced support for the idea, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated that recognition of a Palestinian state "must be part of a wider plan." According to an AFP database, at least 142 of the 193 UN member states -- including France -- now recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988. In 1947, a resolution of the UN General Assembly decided on the partition of Palestine, then under a British mandate, into two independent states -- one Jewish and the other Arab. The following year, the state of Israel was proclaimed. For several decades, the vast majority of UN member states have supported the idea of a two-state solution, Israelis and Palestinians living 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 be 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. This week's conference comes at a moment when "the prospect of a Palestinian state has never been so threatened, or so necessary," Barrot said. Call for courage Beyond facilitating conditions for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the meeting will focus on three other issues -- reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian public life, and normalization of relations with Israel by Arab states. However, no new normalization deals are expected to be announced at the meeting, according to a French diplomatic source. On the other hand, "for the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament," Barrot said. The conference "offers a unique opportunity to transform international law and the international consensus into an achievable plan and to demonstrate resolve to end the occupation and conflict once and for all, for the benefit of all peoples," said Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, calling for "courage" from participants. Israel and the United States were not taking part in the meeting, amid growing international pressure to mount on Israel to end nearly two years of war in Gaza. Despite "tactical pauses" in some military operations announced by Israel, the humanitarian catastrophe in the ravaged coastal territory is expected to dominate speeches by representatives of more than 100 countries as they take the podium. Bruno Stagno, chief advocacy officer at Human Rights Watch, said "more platitudes about a two-state solution and peace process will do nothing to advance the conference's goals, nor to halt the extermination of Palestinians in Gaza."
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
UN nuclear watchdog to visit Iran in next two weeks
The UN nuclear watchdog will visit Iran within the next two weeks, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. It will be the first such visit since Tehran passed a parliamentary bill restricting co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA has said it must be allowed to resume inspections after Israeli and US air strikes last month that aimed to destroy Iran's nuclear programme and deny it the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is strictly peaceful. Iran has blamed the IAEA for providing Israel with the pretext to start a war after a report accusing Tehran of hiding enriched uranium. After the 12-day war ended, a bill passed in Iran's parliament restricting Tehran's co-operation with the watchdog. The bill, which has now become law, stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said a manual regarding future co-operation with the agency will be presented during the visit. The UN nuclear watchdog is particularly concerned about the whereabouts of Iran's stocks of some 400kg of highly enriched uranium. On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the CBS News show Face The Nation that Western governments were seeking a 'comprehensive agreement' with Iran, in part to avert the 'risk' that it could covertly pursue a nuclear weapon. 'Regarding matters related to our defence capabilities, there will absolutely be no discussion,' Mr Baghaei said in response during his weekly press briefing. Mr Barrot's comments came after a meeting on Friday between Iranian diplomats and counterparts from France, Germany and Britain – the first nuclear talks since the war with Israel. The European countries, also known as the E3, have in recent weeks threatened to trigger a " snapback mechanism" which would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran. Tehran has warned it might withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed. 'One cannot expect a country to remain in the treaty while being deprived of its stated rights, particularly the peaceful use of nuclear energy,' Mr Baghaei said. Israel's attacks on Iran last month hit vital nuclear and military sites but also residential areas, and killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others. The US briefly joined the war, striking nuclear sites. The war derailed nuclear negotiations that were under way between Washington and Tehran since April 12. In an interview with Iran's state TV aired on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the decision to engage diplomatically towards a ceasefire was 'what prevented the war from spiralling into a wider regional catastrophe'. Mr Araghchi said he had survived an assassination attempt during the war. A bomb had been placed outside his house but security forces 'took control of it', he said. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian previously said he was lightly injured during an Israeli attack.
