The United Nations General Assembly is convening high-level officials this week to promote a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, aiming to establish independent nations for both peoples living side by side in peace. The meeting, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is being boycotted by Israel and the United States, both of whom oppose the current initiative. France and Saudi Arabia hope to spotlight the two-state solution as the only viable path to peace and seek to identify concrete steps toward its implementation, including ending the war in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will officially recognize the state of Palestine at the annual United Nations gathering in September, making it the most significant Western power to do so. The meeting is expected to serve as preparation for a future presidential summit and may result in additional countries expressing intentions to recognize Palestinian statehood. However, with Israel and the United States absent, no major breakthrough or resumption of negotiations is anticipated.