France and Saudi Arabia will convene a conference to promote the two-state solution by the end of July, i24NEWS reported on Friday, citing a source familiar with the details.
Diplomats quoted by Reuters said the conference will take place on July 28 and 29.
The conference, which is scheduled to take place at United Nations headquarters in New York, was initially planned for last month but was postponed in the wake of the war between Israel and Iran.
News of the rescheduled conference comes just one day after French President Emmanuel Macron publicly called upon the United Kingdom to join France in recognizing a Palestinian state, asserting it as the sole path to enduring peace and security in the region.
His remarks were made during a joint press conference in London at the conclusion of his three-day state visit.
"I believe in the future of the two-state solution… which will allow Israel to live in peace and security with its neighbours," Macron stated. He advocated for a unified front between Paris and London, emphasizing, "We must unite our voices in Paris, London, and everywhere else to recognise a State of Palestine and initiate this political dynamic, which is the only one consistent with a perspective of peace."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed his government's support for Palestinian recognition "as part of a process," but underscored the immediate priority of securing a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has long urged countries to recognize “Palestine” as a means of bypassing direct talks with Israel.
While several countries have recognized “Palestine” in recent years, those moves were symbolic ones that have little, if any, actual diplomatic effect.
More recently, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognized a Palestinian state in May of 2024.
In June of that year, Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state, after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move.
Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela announced in late May that his country is set to officially recognize the "State of Palestine".
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
