Two-State Solution Conf.: Saudi Arabia Leads Int’l Push for Palestine Recognition
Top diplomats of dozens of countries are gathering at the UN General Assembly to promote a two-state solution to end the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Saudi Arabia and France are co-hosting the “High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution” which is taking place in New York on July 28-29, 2025.
It is part of a broader push toward a two-state solution that involves recognizing a Palestinian State while guaranteeing Israel’s security in a bid to end the conflict.
Two-state Solution
Saudi Arabia and France view the two-state solution as the only viable roadmap to peace as it would allow Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side in independent nations. To this end, they aim to spotlight the two-state solution in this high-level meeting.
The two-state solution advocates for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State along the 1967 borders (which involves the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip), with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This solution has wide international support as it would grant the Palestinians their right of self-determination while ensuring Israel’s security.
Conference Goals
Saudi Arabia and France want the conference to achieve concrete results on the ground with regards to the implementation of the two-state solution. To this end, the conference aims to chart a clear and irreversible pathway toward a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in accordance with UN resolutions.
In the light of this, the Saudi diplomat and head of the Kingdom’s negotiating team, Manal Radwan, said that the high-level meeting must “chart a course for action, not reflection.”
She added that the efforts must be “anchored in a credible and irreversible political plan that addresses the root cause of the conflict and offers a real path to peace, dignity and mutual security.”
Advancing Two-State Solution
The conference focuses on four key pillars to pave the way for the implementation of the two-state solution, according to Arab News. The first focuses on rallying more countries to recognize Palestine.
Meanwhile, the second addresses normalization and regional integration, which will be conditional on achieving credible progress toward Palestinian statehood.
The third pillar discusses the reform of Palestinian governance, while the fourth one addresses the disarmament and exclusion of Hamas from any role in the future Palestinian State.
The conference also discusses the efforts of 8 working groups in areas such as security arrangements, the economic viability of a Palestinian State, humanitarian action and post-war reconstruction.
Palestine Recognition
Currently, about 147 out of the 193 UN member states recognize the State of Palestine, which holds a non-member observer status at the UN General Assembly since November 2012. The two-state solution conference aims to encourage more countries to recognize the State of Palestine.
On July 24, 2025, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, said that Paris would recognize the State of Palestine in September at the UN General Assembly – a historic announcement that came as a result of Saudi Arabia’s intensive diplomatic efforts.
“We must build the State of Palestine, guarantee its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the region. There is no alternative,” Macron posted on X.
However, the French announcement was met by rejection from the US and Israel, who are boycotting the conference, according to Reuters.
Rallying Nations
With this decision, France has become the first major Western power and G7 country to recognize Palestinian statehood, adding weight to the list of states recognizing Palestine.
During an interview with the French newspaper, La Tribune Dimanche, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said that Paris seeks to push other countries in the conference to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state.
“We will launch an appeal in New York so that other countries join us to initiate an even more ambitious and demanding dynamic that will culminate on September 21,” Barrot said.
Saudi Arabia’s Diplomatic Push
Saudi Arabia has spearheaded a sustained diplomatic push for advancing the two-state solution and the recognition of the Palestinian State. In September 2024, Saudi Arabia launched the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, in partnership with Norway and the European Union (EU).
The Kingdom has also mobilized support for the two-state solution, with its efforts culminating in a series of Palestine recognition by countries, including Spain, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Armenia and the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
Firm Stance
Within this context, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, affirmed that the Kingdom’s presidency of the two-state solution conference reflects its “firm and longstanding stance on the Palestinian cause,” stressing Saudi Arabia’s unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
“From this standpoint, the Kingdom, in partnership with France, is co-chairing the high-level conference at the ministerial level,” he told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“We look forward to advancing the implementation of relevant international resolutions calling for the establishment of two states, where the Palestinian people may enjoy their independent state, thereby achieving peace and stability for the region and fostering development and prosperity,” Prince Faisal said.
