Delayed two-state confab to be held this month in New York, will work on Israeli integration into region — source

PARIS, France — International envoys will discuss a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at UN headquarters in New York this month, before national leaders meet in September, a French diplomatic source says.

The conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, was originally planned for mid-June to revive work on the long-standing diplomatic effort to find a way for the Israeli and Palestinian states to live side by side in peace.

It was postponed at the last minute due to Israel’s military campaign against Iran.

Last week, diplomatic sources said last week the conference had been rescheduled for July 28 and 29, but did not say who would attend.

The French source says today that the meeting will be at the ministerial level.

It will seek to “advance the recognition of a Palestinian state for a certain number of states who have not yet recognized it, including France,” the source says.

But it would also work “on normalization and Israel’s regional integration with Arab and Muslim countries.”

Heads of state and government will then meet in either Paris or New York, before the UN General Assembly, which will be attended by world leaders on September 22, the source adds.