UN on two-state solution for Israel

FRANCE and Saudi Arabia led the charge yesterday to revive the moribund push for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians at a UN conference in New York.

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Days before the July 28-30 conference, to be co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would formally recognise the State of Palestine in September.

Paris's decision “will breathe new life into a conference that seemed destined to irrelevance,” said Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“Macron’s announcement changes the game. Other participants will be scrabbling to decide if they should also declare an intent to recognise Palestine.”

In an interview with French weekly La Tribune Dimanche, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that other European countries will confirm “their intention to recognise the State of Palestine” during the conference, without detailing which ones.