UN Pushes Palestinian State Recognition as More Nations Defy Israel/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ France and Saudi Arabia chaired a UN meeting urging progress toward a two-state solution. The U.K., Canada, Australia, and Portugal joined over 145 nations in recognizing Palestine. Israel and the U.S. strongly oppose the move, warning it rewards Hamas and fuels tensions.
Quick Look
- Event: UN high-level meeting led by France & Saudi Arabia.
- Purpose: Rally support for two-state solution amid Gaza conflict.
- New recognitions: U.K., Canada, Australia, Portugal; France and more expected.
- Palestinian role: Abbas denied U.S. visa, speaks via video.
- Israel’s response: Netanyahu rejects statehood, threatens West Bank annexation.
- U.S. stance: Trump administration opposes, blames recognition for stalled ceasefire talks.
- UN position: Over 145 nations now recognize Palestine; GA voted 142–10 on phased plan.
Nations Gather at UN to Push Two-State Solution as More Countries Recognize Palestine
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — As the Gaza war grinds into its second year, France and Saudi Arabia are leading a high-profile UN meeting to push forward a two-state solution.
The session comes after the U.K., Canada, Australia, and Portugal recognized a Palestinian state, with more countries expected to follow.
Israel, backed by the U.S., fiercely opposes the initiative and warns of possible annexation of West Bank territories.
UN Push for Two States Amid Gaza War
With the Gaza conflict still raging, world leaders gathered Monday at the United Nations to explore ways of reviving the long-stalled two-state solution. Chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, the session aimed to galvanize international support for Palestinian statehood, even as Israel and the United States remain firmly opposed.
The timing is symbolic: Israel is intensifying its offensive in Gaza City, expanding West Bank settlements, and facing mounting global criticism after a UN-commissioned report accused it of genocide — an allegation it rejects.
Growing Recognition of Palestine
In the past 48 hours, the U.K., Canada, Australia, and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state. Palestinians expect at least 10 nations, including France, to make similar announcements in the coming days.
Today, around three-fourths of UN member states — more than 145 countries — recognize Palestine. But until now, many Western powers had withheld recognition, insisting it should only come through direct negotiations with Israel.
“This is a beginning, or a glimmer of hope, for the Palestinian people,” said Gaza resident Fawzi Nour al-Deen as thousands fled south from Gaza City.
France’s Macron defends decision to recognize Palestinian statehood
French Prime Minister Emanuel Macron on Sunday defended his country’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine amid the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.
In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Macron told host Margaret Brennan that France wants “peace and security” for the region.
“If we want peace and security for all in the region, we have to preserve the condition of a political perspective for everybody,” Macron said. “Recognizing the Palestinian state today is the only way to provide a political solution to a situation which has to stop.”
While 147 out of 193 countries in the United Nations recognize the state of Palestine, France was ahead of other nations in the Western Alliance in offering recognition. During the weekend, Canada, Britain, Australia, and Portugal added to the list.
Macron said he doesn’t think France’s decision has hurt the nation’s relationship with the U.S., adding his objective is to engage with the administration on what France has in mind for a “full-fledged peace and security plan for all.”
But simply killing as many Hamas members as possible cannot be the only solution:
Macron said. “At the beginning of this war, you had more or less 25,000 Hamas fighters,” Macron told Brennan. “The Israeli army killed probably half of them, but Hamas managed to recruit the equivalent. You have as many fighters.”
France’s recognition is part of a three-pronged plan. The second phase is a ceasefire with the release of all hostages. The third, he said, is the perspective of two states, Palestine and Israel.
“Recognizing this right to have a Palestinian state through a diplomatic channel, this just giving another channel and offering a political way and isolating Hamas,” Macron said.
Israel and U.S. Push Back
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the recognition moves, warning that a Palestinian state would reward Hamas. He hinted at unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank, a step that would put a two-state framework even further out of reach.
Netanyahu is under pressure from his far-right coalition but also faces constraints: the United Arab Emirates, a signatory of the 2020 Abraham Accords, has warned that annexation would be a “red line.”
The Trump administration has also opposed the recognition wave, blaming it for derailing ceasefire talks with Hamas. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff quit negotiations in July, and earlier this month, Israel struck Hamas negotiators in Qatar — one of the last active mediators.
Palestinian Authority vs. Hamas
The push for recognition comes despite deep Palestinian political divisions. President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA) governs parts of the West Bank, recognizes Israel, and supports a two-state framework. Yet many Palestinians view the PA as corrupt and authoritarian.
Meanwhile, Hamas, which won elections in 2006, still controls parts of Gaza. While it has occasionally hinted at accepting a state within 1967 borders, its formal position remains a full Palestinian state across all of historic Palestine.
France and Saudi Arabia’s plan, endorsed by 142 UN member states earlier this month, proposes a phased path where a reformed PA would eventually govern both Gaza and the West Bank with international backing.
What’s Next at the UN
The high-level meeting began Monday afternoon, with Abbas addressing via video after he was denied a U.S. visa. His absence underscored Palestinian frustrations with Washington’s consistent support of Israel.
Netanyahu will take the stage Friday to present Israel’s case before meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. Both leaders are expected to coordinate strategy against the recognition wave.
UN officials insist the momentum must not be lost. “We have to be determined in achieving the goal we want to achieve, and we cannot be distracted by threats and intimidation,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Why It Matters
Supporters of recognition say it’s about keeping the two-state solution alive before it disappears completely. Without a Palestinian state, Israel faces a stark choice: continue indefinite military occupation, or accept a binational state where Palestinians could soon outnumber Jews — raising existential questions about its future as a Jewish democracy.
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