France: "No Alternative"... Palestine: "Hamas Must End Its Rule"
US: "Rewarding Terrorism"
Foreign ministers of UN member states discussed ways to implement the "two-state solution" as a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue. The United States and Israel opposed this initiative.
On July 28 (local time), a UN meeting was held at the UN headquarters in New York, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
The goal of the meeting was to present the basic framework of a roadmap to guarantee Israel's security while establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
Jean-Noel Barrot, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, "Only a political solution, namely the two-state solution, will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and stability," adding, "There is no other alternative."
Previously, on July 24, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize Palestine as a state at the upcoming UN General Assembly High-Level Week in September and urged other countries to join this effort.
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries is only possible through the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, said, "Every country has a responsibility to act now," and requested the deployment of international forces to help establish a Palestinian state. He also called on Hamas to "end its rule over the Gaza Strip and transfer its weapons to the Palestinian Authority."
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, declared, "Let me be clear: the gradual annexation of the West Bank (by Israel) is illegal and must stop," and added, "The large-scale destruction in the Gaza Strip is unacceptable and must cease." He continued, "The two-state solution is the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by the UN General Assembly, and supported by the international community," urging efforts toward its realization.
The two-state solution is an approach that recognizes Israel and Palestine as independent states and seeks their peaceful coexistence. The majority of UN member states agree with this principle. South Korea also supports the two-state solution.
However, the United States and Israel oppose the two-state solution and refused to attend the meeting. While previous US administrations supported the two-state solution, the administration under Donald Trump has expressed opposition to it.
The US State Department, in a statement issued by spokesperson Tammy Bruce, said, "This meeting will prolong the war instead of promoting peace, encourage Hamas, reward their obstruction, and undermine realistic efforts to achieve peace." The statement added, "As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made clear, this effort is an insult to the victims of 'October 7' (the date of Hamas's attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war) and a reward for terrorism."
Regarding President Macron's declaration to recognize the State of Palestine, the US further criticized it, saying, "It encourages Hamas, promotes obstruction of a ceasefire, and reflects a pattern of unproductive gestures that significantly weaken our diplomatic efforts to end suffering in Gaza, rescue hostages, and lead the entire Middle East toward a brighter and more prosperous future."
Israel also criticized the initiative. Danny Danon, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, said, "Instead of demanding the release of hostages and efforts to dismantle Hamas's terrorist regime, the organizers are engaging in discussions and plenary sessions that are detached from reality."
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