United Nations (United States) (AFP) – More than 140 world leaders will descend on New York next week for the annual United Nations General Assembly summit, which will be dominated this year by the future of the Palestinians and Gaza. One world leader who will miss the gathering is Mahmud Abbas, the Palestinian president who Washington denied a visa to attend, along with his officials. The humanitarian catastrophe ravaging the small Palestinian territory will top the agenda, two years after the beginning of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
In a break with convention, the General Assembly voted Friday to allow Abbas to address the event by video link while he is represented in the chamber by the Palestinian ambassador. Saudi Arabia and France will co-chair meetings from Monday on the Israeli and Palestinian two-state solution, which aims to see both sides existing alongside one another in peace. This meeting is expected to see the formal recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries after the overwhelming adoption last week by the General Assembly of a text supporting a future Palestinian state — albeit without Hamas.
The French presidency said Friday that 10 countries would formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the meeting — Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Portugal, Malta, Britain, and San Marino alongside France. International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan called it a “symbolic” gesture that could have real significance “if the countries that recognize Palestine follow up with further steps to try and put pressure on Israel to end its campaign in Gaza.” Gowan warned of Israeli reprisals and a risk of “escalation” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will address the General Assembly and is strongly opposed to a Palestinian state.
The United States, Israel’s main ally, has also opposed recognition and had earlier warned it would deny visas to the Palestinian delegation. All eyes will be on President Donald Trump who has initiated massive cuts to US foreign aid since his return to the White House, hammering UN agencies as humanitarian needs grow. The United Nations, engulfed by deep financial crisis and raging wars, quietly celebrated its 80th anniversary this year while fending off criticism of its efficacy.
– ‘Existential threat’ – “The multilateral system…is under an existential threat,” said Federico Borello, Interim Executive Director at Human Rights Watch. “Norms are being weakened when powerful states, that include permanent members of the Security Council, either commit or are complicit in serious violations of international humanitarian law, as is happening in Gaza, in Ukraine and elsewhere.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for progress on Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and climate change. “People are demanding answers and action, actions that match the gravity of the challenges our world faces, actions that meet the expectations of all those on the outside looking in,” Guterres said.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa will be a prominent new addition to the gathering, which also includes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Close attention will be paid to Sharaa nearly a year after his forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad, as he now confronts the challenges of rebuilding after years of civil war. Iran’s nuclear program will also be in focus as sanctions against Tehran lifted 10 years ago are set to be reinstated.
Guterres and Brazil’s Lula will organize a climate summit on Wednesday where some states may announce new goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, just weeks ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
© 2024 AFP
