Palestinians fleeing Gaza City, on May 16, 2025. (Credit: Bashar Taleb/AFP)
BEIRUT — The international conference announced by France and Saudi Arabia to revive efforts for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — centered on the two-state solution — will take place June 17–20 in New York, a French diplomatic source said Friday.
The conference will be organized by the U.N. General Assembly and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, a French diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.
A source close to the preparatory work said the event aims to “announce rapid, irreversible actions with deadlines” to broaden recognition of Palestine as a full member state.
Palestine is currently recognized by nearly 150 countries and holds observer status at the United Nations. However, full membership remains blocked without a favorable vote at the Security Council. In May 2024, Ireland, Norway and Spain recognized Palestine, followed by Slovenia in June. France and most Western nations have not yet taken that step.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced in April his intention to convene the conference to encourage a wave of new recognitions of Palestine — and to push for reciprocal recognition of Israel by countries that have yet to do so.
In 2020, the Abraham Accords, brokered by then-U.S. President Donald Trump, led to the normalization of relations between Israel and three Arab nations: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. But several Arab states — including Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon — have so far declined to join the process.
Since the war in Gaza erupted following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Saudi Arabia has ruled out normalization with Israel without the establishment of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state — a prospect firmly opposed by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.