UNITED NATIONS, Jul 31 (APP): With Gaza in ruins and the two-State solution in jeopardy, ministers from around the world convened at the United Nations this week to jumpstart political momentum toward ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – a crisis Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned is “at a breaking point.”
The High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution took place in New York from 28 to 30 July.
The United States and Israel did not participate.
France and Saudi Arabia, co-chairs of the Conference, called on all UN Member States to support a declaration urging collective action to end the war in Gaza and to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution outlines political, humanitarian, and security steps to be taken on a timebound and irreversible basis.
The co-chairs urged countries to endorse the declaration by the end of the 79th session of the General Assembly, in early September, should they so wish.
In his stark opening remarks on Monday, Secretary-General Guterres stressed that the two-State solution is the only viable path to ending the longstanding conflict and achieving lasting peace in the region, warning that there is no alternative.
“A one-State reality where Palestinians are denied equal rights and forced to live under perpetual occupation and inequality? A one-State reality where Palestinians are expelled from their land? That is not peace. That is not justice. And that is not acceptable,” he said.
He condemned both Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks and the scale of Israel’s military response, reiterating his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access.
“This conflict cannot be managed. It must be resolved,” Guterres concluded. “We must act before it is too late.”
Over the three days, more than 125 speakers took the floor during the general debate, including high-level representatives from across the globe and major regional and international organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Delegates underscored the urgency of concrete steps to realize a two-State solution, highlighting the need to empower and reform the Palestinian Authority, reconstruct Gaza and ensure accountability for violations of international law.
France, which co-chaired the Conference, recalled its support for Israel as it joined the community of nations and affirmed that Palestinians deserve the same right to a homeland.
“At a time where the two-State solution is more threatened than ever, France is ready to fully recognise the State of Palestine,” said Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. That recognition, he added, would come in September when leaders reconvene for the General Assembly’s 80th session.
Co-chair Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, emphasised the suffering of thousands of civilians in Gaza under bombardment, while Israeli settlements expand in Jerusalem and the West Bank to alter the region’s demographic nature.
“Peace and security do not take place through deprivation of rights or force,” he said, underscoring the need for a genuine and irreversible peace process.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, outlined recent UK actions – including the suspension of arms exports and sanctions on extremist settlers, and restoring of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
“It is with the hand of history on our shoulders that His Majesty’s Government therefore intends to recognise the State of Palestine when the UN General Assembly gathers in September here in New York,” he declared.
Also on the opening day on Monday, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, said that Gaza today is “a graveyard of international law and humanitarian principles”. Israel’s blockade of aid and deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure “have crossed every red line of legality and humanity”, he stressed.
“Collective punishment must stop now,” he underscored, adding that it is “high time for credible and enforceable international action on an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Also underlining the need to reinvigorate a “genuine” political process to end the occupation and realize a two-State solution, Dar said that the Palestinian question is “a test case for the United Nations and the world”.
For its part, Pakistan is prepared to contribute to the building of Palestinian institutions and to any international protection mechanism that is created.
“We must give hope to the Palestinian people,” he added.