Macron says UN conference on Israeli-Palestinian conflict postponed after attack on Iran
But French leader says he remains determined ‘to recognize the State of Palestine,’ a move Israel argues would reward terror
A United Nations conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia to work toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians has been postponed after Israel launched a military attack on Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.
Two sources had earlier told Reuters that the conference would be postponed after Israel’s attacks because logistically it would be difficult for countries in the region to attend.
Israel launched a huge wave of airstrikes across Iran on Friday, targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, and killing its top echelon of military commanders and nuclear scientists in the biggest ever direct attack between the foes.
Iran, which avowedly seeks Israel’s destruction, has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has been enriching uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, has obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities, and its officials have increasingly warned that they could pursue the bomb.
“This postponement cannot undermine our determination to move forward with the implementation of the two-state solution,” Macron told a news conference.
“Whatever the circumstances, I have stated my determination to recognize the State of Palestine.”
Macron said logistically, the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were simply not able to travel, given the military escalation in the region.
He said the meeting would be rescheduled as quickly as possible.
France and Saudi Arabia had been set to host the gathering between June 17-20 in New York, aiming to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.
Macron, who had been set to attend on June 18, has previously suggested France could recognize a Palestinian state in Israeli-held territories at the conference, a move opposed by Israel.
US President Donald Trump’s administration sent a diplomatic cable earlier this week to discourage governments around the world from attending the conference, according to a US cable seen by Reuters.
It had also warned of possible consequences for those who took measures against Israel, raising pressure on the participants and making Macron’s potential decision to recognize a Palestinian state more complicated.
Macron could still, at one point, go ahead with becoming the first Western heavyweight to recognize a Palestinian state, but the desire in Paris is to have a collective momentum.
Diplomats say this could lend greater weight to a movement hitherto dominated by smaller nations generally more critical of Israel.
Macron’s stance has shifted amid Israel’s intensified Gaza offensive. Israel has asserted that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would amount to a “reward” to Hamas for its October 7, 2023, attack that started the ongoing Gaza war.
The Times of Israel Community.