France and Saudi Arabia host a New York summit on Palestinian statehood, with global leaders set to recognise Palestine despite Israel and US boycotts and threats.
France and Saudi Arabia will host a high-stakes summit in New York on Monday, gathering dozens of world leaders in a bid to revive the long-stalled two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The meeting comes as violence in Gaza and the West Bank intensifies, and several countries are expected to use the occasion to formally recognise a Palestinian state — a move certain to inflame tensions with Israel and the United States.
The summit, timed just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, will focus on what organisers describe as “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” to ensure progress toward two states. France has billed the initiative as a final chance to rescue the idea of Palestinian statehood before it disappears altogether under the weight of war, annexation, and settlement expansion.
Boycott and Threats of Retaliation
Neither Israel nor the United States will attend. Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the summit as a “circus,” accusing participants of “rewarding terrorism.” Washington has likewise warned of “possible consequences” for states that move against Israel, singling out France, where President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the event.
Israeli officials have said that annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank is under consideration as a retaliatory step, alongside bilateral measures against Paris. The Biden administration has also cautioned allies that recognition of Palestinian statehood at this juncture could trigger a diplomatic rupture.
War and Urgency
The meeting takes place as Israel expands its ground assault on Gaza City, nearly two years after Hamas launched its surprise cross-border attack that ignited the ongoing conflict. With humanitarian conditions worsening, settler violence rising in the West Bank, and no ceasefire in sight, European and Arab leaders have argued that urgency is greater than ever.
“The New York Declaration is not a vague promise for the distant future, but rather a roadmap that begins with the top priorities: a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. “Once those are secured, the next step is a plan for the day after, which will be on Monday’s agenda.”
Momentum for Recognition
France is seeking to add weight to a movement long dominated by smaller nations critical of Israel. Macron pledged in July that France would recognise a Palestinian state, and Paris hopes that momentum will now build. On Sunday, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced recognition, and France is expected to follow on Monday alongside at least five others.
Diplomatic sources say some states plan conditional recognition, tying progress to reforms within the Palestinian Authority, while others may opt for phased normalisation of relations depending on governance and security benchmarks.
A Divisive Gamble
The General Assembly earlier this month endorsed a seven-page declaration condemning Hamas while calling for disarmament, hostages’ release, and the entry of humanitarian aid — steps seen as essential before deeper political negotiations. Israel and the US swiftly rejected the move as a “publicity stunt.”
Still, for Paris and Riyadh, the New York summit represents an opportunity to reframe the debate. By pressing for concrete actions and building a coalition of recognition, they hope to send a signal that the international community will not allow the two-state solution to fade into irrelevance.
Whether that gamble deepens divisions or sets the stage for a new phase in Middle East diplomacy will depend on how far participants are prepared to go — and how firmly Israel and Washington respond.
