UN voices call for recognizing State of Palestine

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A three-day high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, concluded on Wednesday at UN headquarters in New York, with China and many other countries calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

In remarks at the conference, China's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun on Tuesday noted that the conflict in Gaza is still raging, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis is unfolding, and the foundation for implementing the two-state solution continues to be eroded.

Zhai outlined China's five-point proposal, urging efforts to promote an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, and to ease the humanitarian catastrophe. He called for advancing governance in Gaza and the West Bank under the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine", and for supporting Palestinian efforts to strengthen internal unity.

He also emphasized the need to assist Palestine in enhancing governance capacity and economic resilience, to preserve the momentum for peace and the implementation of the two-state solution, and to uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, with the goal of achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.

Zhai said China will continue to work with the international community to promote a ceasefire in Gaza and push for an early, comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Zhai met separately with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, the European Union's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, and others.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his remarks at the conference on Monday that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached "a breaking point," and that the two-state solution is "farther than ever before."

Despite the worsening situation, Guterres stressed that the conflict "can be resolved", but doing so requires "political will and courageous leadership". He said the high-level conference was a "rare and indispensable opportunity" and urged participants to go beyond "well-meaning rhetoric".

"This conference can and must serve as a decisive turning point — one that catalyzes irreversible progress towards ending the occupation and realizing our shared aspiration for a viable two-state solution," he said.

Guterres reaffirmed that the two-state solution remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by the General Assembly, and backed by the international community.

Representatives of over 120 countries attended the conference. As of Wednesday, 147 of the 193 United Nations member states have recognized the State of Palestine as a sovereign country.

On Wednesday, Canada and Malta said they intended to recognize the State of Palestine in September.

Singapore, addressing the conference on Tuesday, said that it is prepared in principle to do the same, emphasizing that such recognition should contribute to peace and support a negotiated two-state solution.

Also on Tuesday, the United Kingdom urged Israel to take substantive steps to end what it called "the appalling situation in Gaza" and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace. The British government warned that, absent meaningful progress, it would recognize the State of Palestine in September to "protect the viability of the two-state solution."

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on July 24 that France will formally recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

On Nov 20, 1988, the Chinese government officially recognized the State of Palestine — one of the first to do so — and established diplomatic relations with it.