US warns countries not to join French, Saudi UN conference on Palestine
Delegates discuss preparations for the June 2025 high-level conference at UN Headquarters in New York
Middle East Eye reports on 11 June 2025:
The US is lobbying foreign governments not to attend a UN conference next week sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a US diplomatic cable reported by Reuters.
The cable, sent to countries on Tuesday, warns them against taking “anti-Israel actions” and says attending the conference would be viewed by Washington as acting against US foreign policy interests.
France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is a US ally in Nato. Saudi Arabia is one of the US’s closest Middle East partners. US President Donald Trump was feted during a May visit to Riyadh, where Saudi Arabia signed billions of dollars of investment deals with the US.
France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting the gathering between 17 and 20 June in New York.
“We are urging governments not to participate in the conference, which we view as counterproductive to ongoing, life-saving efforts to end the war in Gaza and free hostages,” the cable says, according to Reuters.
“The United States opposes any steps that would unilaterally recognise a conjectural Palestinian state, which adds significant legal and political obstacles to the eventual resolution of the conflict and could coerce Israel during a war, thereby supporting its enemies,” it added.
France had been lobbying the UK and other European allies to recognise a Palestinian state at the conference. However, Middle East Eye reported in June that the US has warned Britain and France against recognising a Palestinian state at the conference. At the same time, Arab states have been urging them to proceed with the move, sources told MEE.
In late May, United Nations member states held consultations in preparation for the conference, during which the Arab Group urged states to recognise Palestinian statehood.