Media coverage
ISPI — Italian Institute for International Political Studies · 2025-07-31
Med This Week
Med this Week
Middle East and North Africa
The MED This Week newsletter provides informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today we shed light on the recognition of Palestine and the UN conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on the two-state solution.
France and Saudi Arabia co-hosted a UN conference from 28 to 30 July 2025 to renew momentum behind the two-state solution, and finding international common ground to resolve the Palestinian issue. Organised in preparation for the September UN General Assembly on the same matter, the conference for the first time established eight high-level working groups to examine and put forward proposals on a wide range of issues related to the two-state solution, culminating in the so-called “New York Declaration”. The declaration, signed by seventeen countries, the 22-member Arab League, and the entire European Union, outlines a phased plan to end both the nearly eight-decade Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza. It envisions the establishment of an independent, demilitarised Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel. Moreover, it includes a condemnation of the 7 October attacks, marking the first time that all Arab League countries have jointly denounced Hamas’ actions. At the same time, it affirms that, in the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must relinquish its rule and disarm, transferring authority to the Palestinian Authority with international engagement and support – steps aligned with the goal of achieving a sovereign and independent Palestinian state. Finally, this historic declaration condemns Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, as well as the ongoing siege and use of starvation tactics, which have caused a severe humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis. The conference followed a groundbreaking declaration by French President Emmanuel Macron, who declared his intention to recognise the State of Palestine in September during the UN General Assembly. This decision prompted several of Israel’s historic Western allies to align with the French position, including Canada and the United Kingdom. In particular, London has threatened to officially recognise the State of Palestine should Israel fail to end its siege of the Palestinian civilian population and halt its military operations in Gaza. The reaction from European and Western capitals reflects growing alarm over the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where – according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – the worst-case famine scenario is currently unfolding. While these moves by European allies and others have provoked sharp reactions from Israel, Donald Trump remains a steady ally of Israel, and, besides acknowledging the famine taking place in Gaza, the US chose not to participate in the UN conference and to not support its Western allies in recognising Palestine.
Experts from the ISPI network discuss the recognition of Palestine and the UN conference on the two-state solution.
## The recognition of Palestine is a great step forward, but not the final destination
“The high-level conference led by France and Saudi Arabia this week in New York, gives a re-birth to the two-state solution, vanished due to the Israeli measures on the ground, such as settlement building, land confiscation and transfer Palestinian population. Indeed, the summit and the intention of France, the UK and other countries to give a recognition to a Palestinian State is not enough. Marking the destination is a great step in any process, but is not enough. Indeed, we need to pave the way toward a comprehensive process that includes: the end of the war on Gaza; a strengthened and harmonised cooperation between the US and the EU with key Arab countries; a peace conference and a plan for the Palestinian Authority reforms, elections as well as the Palestinian re-unification. The two-state solution is the best option available and the internationally recognised road to peace in the region. Despite all obstacles and challenges needed to implement, a flexible model of two-state solution has to be developed, as the area is too small to be separated or divided. Israel and Palestine should follow the EU model, where two political systems live side by side in one place.”
Omar Shaban, Founder and Director, Palthink for Strategic Studies
## Palestinian statehood must precede reform, not depend on it
“Calls for Palestinian Authority (PA) reform as a condition for supporting Palestinian statehood have long been used to take the onus off these actors to take real steps in support of two states, or to balance against any demand they were forced to make on Israel. One must ask why are these states equally or more concerned with the reform of a temporary administration operating under an illegal occupation than on ending the occupation itself? They do it because it is more politically convenient than addressing the real problem: Israel’s ongoing settlement of the West Bank. That is not to say the PA does not need to be reformed, on the contrary; but the states demanding reform are the same who have financed and armed the PA for decades while its public legitimacy collapsed. They have supported it despite its malfeasance because its security forces did the dirty work they – and Israel –wanted, and they helped it thwart democracy because they feared what democratic outcomes would bring. That is why the reform-conditionality on Palestinian freedom is not only immoral, but performative. If they really cared about reform, they would demand it as a condition of their financial support, not of Palestinian liberty.”
Omar Rahman, Fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs
## The road to peace (still) lies in mutual recognition
“A pillar of Israel’s foreign policy since its establishment has been the pursuit of international recognition of its existence and of its security needs. Today, however, the Israeli government – after deepening internal divisions, undermining the country’s institutional balance and democratic foundations, and even attacking its own security apparatus – is now alienating the traditional allies that have long supported its decisions. Moreover, instead of welcoming the Arab League’s condemnation of Hamas’ October 7 attack – something Israel has consistently demanded over the past 22 months –government members are escalating calls for the annexation of Gaza and the West Bank. Rather than dismissing ministers who advocate for the destruction of a noncombatant population, Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to endorse their intentions. If the lives of Palestinians matter so little to him and his allies, then at the very least, he should care about the fate of his own citizens. Military power and violence cannot meet Israel’s security needs; only peace can. And peace begins with recognition of the State of Palestine.”
Sara Leykin, ISPI Mena Centre
## France leads Europe on recognition: President Macron’s gamble is paying off
“President Emmanuel Macron has just officially announced that France will recognize the State of Palestine next September during the United Nations General Assembly session. This highly symbolic decision aligns with the traditional vision of French diplomacy, which advocates for a Two-State Solution – a solution now under threat. French diplomacy is thus seeking to increase its international influence and relies on a ripple effect. Since the presidency of Georges Pompidou, Paris has been trying to use the European community to amplify its power. His successor Valéry Giscard d’Estaing succeeded in this with the adoption, in June 1980, of the Venice Declaration. While 12 of the 27 EU member states have already recognized Palestine as a State, the European Union remains divided on the issue of recognition. The challenge now is whether the French decision could lead London and Berlin to follow suit. The recent announcement by the British Prime Minister seems to show that President Macron’s gamble is paying off. However, a joining of Germany seems unlikely as Berlin has historically been one of Israel’s most loyal supporters due to the lasting memory of the Holocaust.”
Valérie Stiegler, Researcher, Collège de France
## The recognition of Palestine by Macron is a response to domestic discontent
“President Emmanuel Macron is struggling to find the right direction to act in the context of the tragic developments in the Middle East, as he faces a domestic policy dilemma. France is home to the largest Jewish diaspora, as well as the largest Muslim community, in Europe. The fear of importing the Arab-Israeli conflict into the domestic context thus dominated his stances at first. But the President lost his majority in Parliament in June 2024 and has since refocused most of his activities on foreign policy, as the French constitution gives him significant powers in this area. His trademark is a certain personal creativity and a desire to make history. Internationally, he wants to embody French power, maintain his role as a European vanguard and revitalise multilateral forums for action. French foreign policy has a strong history with the Middle East and has always worked towards a two-state solution. Relaunching this dynamic within a UN framework, by relying on the Saudi partner, now identified as the central power in the Arab world, is therefore entirely in line with France’s traditional positions and interests. The outcome of the conference in New York showed that France still has a certain capacity to lead, which is positive in domestic terms for the President’s popularity.”
Dorothée Schmid, Head of Turkey/Middle East Program, Ifri
Text © ISPI — Italian Institute for International Political Studies — archived here with attribution to the source. — Machine translation for archival reference. — Original source