Monday September 22, 2025
Pro-Palestinian Americans gather in New York at a march to the U.N. on Sept. 18, 2025. Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty ImagesMogadishu (HOL) — France and Saudi Arabia convened world leaders in New York on Monday for a summit where several nations formally recognized a Palestinian state, a symbolic move that has sharpened Israel’s isolation and drawn a strong rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced recognition on Sunday, and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to follow at the United Nations General Assembly. Supporters said the coordinated step was meant to revive the two-state solution, long seen internationally as the only path to end the conflict.
Israel and the United States boycotted the meeting, dismissing it as a political stunt. Netanyahu declared, “There will be no Palestinian state,” and vowed to respond after consultations in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump. Far-right members of his coalition pressed for annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a move that could rupture ties with Arab states that normalized relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Israel’s U.N. ambassador described the summit as a “circus,” while U.S. officials argued unilateral recognition rewarded Hamas and undermined cease-fire talks. France countered that the declaration was a symbolic but urgent step to keep the two-state option viable.
The diplomatic push comes as Israeli forces intensify operations in Gaza City. Palestinian health authorities say more than 65,000 people have been killed since the war began in 2023. Israel says the campaign will continue until Hamas is dismantled.
France and Saudi Arabia presented a roadmap alongside the summit calling for an end to the war, the release of hostages, an Israeli withdrawal, and the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state under a reformed Palestinian Authority with international support. The proposal sidesteps core disputes, including final borders, settlements, the right of return for refugees, and the status of Jerusalem.
Germany and Italy have withheld recognition, saying it should come only after direct negotiations. The United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel five years ago, warned that annexation of West Bank land would cross a “red line.”
For Palestinians under bombardment, the announcements brought little immediate relief. “Even if these countries recognize Palestine, it won’t force Israel to grant us our rights,” said displaced Gaza resident Nabeel Jaber. In Tel Aviv, Israelis voiced skepticism, with one student saying Palestinians had rejected past peace offers.