'Two-State Solution Conference' at the UN begins: A Palestinian State is a right, not a reward

While Israel's annexation and ethnic cleansing policies in Gaza and the West Bank continue to diminish hopes for a two-state solution, warnings that time is rapidly running out and calls for concrete steps have emerged at the high-level international conference at the UN.

Senior diplomats and government officials from dozens of countries have gathered at the two-day international conference held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, to promote the two-state formula as a solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The United Nations High-Level International Conference on Finding a Peaceful Solution to the Palestinian Question and Implementing the Two-State Solution began with addresses by the meeting's co-chairs, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"TIME IS WORKING AGAINST US"

Emphasizing that France recognizes the right of the Jewish people to exist and to have their own homeland, and that it acknowledges the same right applies to the Palestinian people, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated in his address to the UN General Assembly, "France believes that the only alternative to ending the cycle of violence is the prospect of these two peoples living side by side in two separate states, in peace and security."

Stressing that France has supported this solution for decades, Barrot said, "This idea of peace, which is threatened and questioned by the indefinite extension of Israel's military operations in Gaza, is now in danger due to operations that have long lacked a military or political justification. In an environment where tens of thousands of civilians have lost their lives, populations have been massively displaced, families have been torn apart, places of worship, hospitals, and schools have been bombed, and humanitarian aid and food distribution have turned into a bloody catastrophe, Gaza, devastated by war, has today turned into almost a house of death."

Barrot stated, "How can peace be imagined after so much suffering? This idea is also threatened by the rapid increase of settlements in the West Bank, especially with extremist settlers uprooting olive trees, burning schools, and evicting Palestinians from their homes, all while this happens before the eyes of the Israeli authorities."

Emphasizing that the Israeli Parliament's (Knesset) approval of the full annexation of the West Bank last week has made the process even more hopeless, the French minister said, "We absolutely cannot submit to this situation and we cannot wait any longer. Because time is now working against us."

Barrot added, "At a time when the two-state solution is more threatened than ever, France is ready to fully recognize the State of Palestine and will do so this coming September."

"WE ARE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT CONCRETE MECHANISMS"

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said his country believes that peace cannot be built without empowering the Palestinian people economically and through development. Emphasizing that Saudi Arabia encourages the advancement of the Palestinian economy and fosters cooperation in this context, Farhan said, "In this framework, we would like to highlight the critical role of international organizations, including the World Bank and the IMF, in providing both development financing and technical support to the Palestinian people."

Stressing that Saudi Arabia continues its efforts for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Farhan said, "This is the cornerstone of achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region."

The Saudi minister stated, "We are working to implement concrete mechanisms that will end the occupation, establish an independent Palestinian State, and ensure security."

"TIME IS RUNNING OUT"

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out that failing to resolve the Palestinian issue through the two-state formula would further deepen Israel's growing isolation on the global stage. Guterres said, "Let us be clear. A Palestinian State is a right, not a reward. The denial of this right is a gift to extremists all over the world."

Stating that Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side within secure and recognized borders, based on the 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both, is in accordance with international law, UN resolutions, and relevant agreements, Guterres said, "Time is running out. Every day, trust diminishes, institutions weaken, and hopes fade. That is why I invite the international community and all authorized parties to keep the two-state solution alive and to take urgent, concrete, and irreversible steps to realize it."

Emphasizing that this is not just a political issue, but a matter concerning shared values and principles, Guterres said, "No nation should live in permanent insecurity. And no people should be forced to live under perpetual occupation. This is the promise of the United Nations Charter and international law. This is the call of conscience. Let us respond to this call with clarity, courage, and determination."