On Monday, September 22, 2025, a high-stakes diplomatic summit convened in New York, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, set the stage for a dramatic turn in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event, held just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, drew dozens of world leaders determined to inject new urgency into the pursuit of a two-state solution—a vision that has long been the cornerstone of international peace efforts, yet has seemed increasingly elusive in recent years.
The summit’s headline-grabbing feature was the expected formal recognition of a Palestinian state by several major countries. Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal led the charge on Sunday, with France and five other nations poised to follow suit on Monday. This wave of recognition, as reported by Reuters, marks a significant shift: while smaller nations have recognized Palestine in the past, heavyweight Western states are now lending their support, potentially shifting the diplomatic calculus.
But not everyone is on board. Israel and the United States boycotted the summit, dismissing it as counterproductive. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, didn’t mince words, calling the event a “circus” and accusing its organizers of “rewarding terrorism.” According to Reuters, Danon told reporters, “We don’t think it’s helpful. We think it’s actually rewarding terrorism.” The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has signaled it may respond by annexing parts of the already-occupied West Bank, a move that could have far-reaching implications for the region and beyond.
The U.S. administration echoed Israel’s concerns, warning of possible consequences for any country taking measures against Israel—including France, whose president, Emmanuel Macron, hosted the summit. “The U.S. administration has also warned of possible consequences for those who take measures against Israel, including against France,” Reuters reported. The Biden administration’s stance underscores the enduring alliance between Washington and Jerusalem, even as international consensus on the two-state solution appears to be shifting.
The urgency behind the summit is palpable. In the weeks leading up to the gathering, Israel launched a major ground assault on Gaza City, intensifying a conflict that erupted two years ago after a deadly Hamas attack on Israel. Violence has also surged in the West Bank, with Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents clashing regularly. As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates—with more than 65,000 Palestinians reported killed by local health authorities and thousands more displaced—the world is watching with a mixture of hope and skepticism.
France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, articulated the summit’s goals in clear terms. “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,” Barrot told reporters, as cited by Reuters. He emphasized that only after these urgent needs are addressed will the international community turn to the thorny question of what comes next—a plan for the “day after.”
The United Nations General Assembly has already endorsed a detailed, seven-page declaration this month, calling for “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution. The declaration also condemned Hamas and called for the group to surrender and disarm, a demand that has met with resistance from both Hamas and the Israeli government. Israel and the United States, for their part, have dismissed the declaration as harmful and little more than a publicity stunt.
Notably absent from the summit were Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his top officials. Barred from traveling to the U.S. after being denied visas, Abbas was scheduled to address the gathering via video link. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite co-hosting the event, also opted for a virtual appearance. The absence of these key figures did little to dampen the symbolic impact of the summit, though some observers questioned whether it could translate into real progress on the ground.
Recognition of a Palestinian state by France and other major countries is not without conditions. Some nations have signaled that normalization of diplomatic ties will be phased and dependent on reforms within the Palestinian Authority—reforms that many in Israel, including Netanyahu’s government, doubt will materialize. “Israel has said it is opposed to the move and has no confidence in the 89-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas keeping pledges to reform and modernise as outlined in a letter to Macron earlier this year,” reported Reuters.
Germany and Italy, meanwhile, have expressed reservations about the timing of recognition. Germany, historically one of Israel’s staunchest supporters, insists that recognition should come only at the end of a negotiated political process, while Italy warned that early recognition could be “counterproductive.” Russia, for its part, reaffirmed its longstanding support for a two-state solution, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declaring, “This remains our approach, and we believe that it is the only possible way to find a solution to this extremely complex, long-standing conflict, which is now perhaps at its most acute and tragic stage in its entire history.”
On the ground in Gaza, however, the symbolic gestures in New York offered little comfort to those caught in the crossfire. Nabeel Jaber, a displaced Palestinian, expressed skepticism: “Even if countries such as Australia, Canada, and France—who are now among those initiating this recognition—acknowledge Palestine, I believe there will still be no serious pressure on Israel to grant the Palestinians their rights.”
In Tel Aviv, the mood was equally skeptical but for different reasons. Tamara Raveh, a 25-year-old film student, voiced a sentiment common among Israelis who feel peace has been repeatedly rejected by Palestinian leaders. “We’ve offered them peace about five times. They could have agreed to any one of those, and they never, ever chose peace. So why do we need to choose peace with people who want to kidnap, murder, rape our people? I don’t think we need to do that.”
The summit’s outcome remains uncertain. While recognition of a Palestinian state by more major powers is undeniably historic, the reality on the ground is stubbornly resistant to change. Israel’s far-right government has flatly declared there will be no Palestinian state, and Netanyahu has promised to announce Israel’s official response upon returning from meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. Annexation of West Bank territory is on the table—a move that could alienate even Israel’s new Arab allies, such as the United Arab Emirates, which warned that annexation “would undermine the spirit of the agreement” reached under the Abraham Accords.
As Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin put it, “The world is saying out loud a Palestinian state and we need to materialise it. Now they need to show what these measures are.” For now, the world waits to see whether these bold diplomatic moves will remain symbolic or spark the genuine progress so many have sought for so long.