10 states plan to recognize Palestine as two-state solution conference unfolds Monday

CAIRO – 21 September 2025: Led by France and Saudi Arabia, a high-level conference on the two-state solution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is set to unfold on Monday, marking a historic moment as several European countries prepare to recognize a Palestinian state.

France is spearheading the initiative, while Portugal has announced that it intends to move ahead on Sunday, potentially becoming the first to formally declare recognition ahead of other states expected to follow on Monday.

The western drive to recognize Palestinian statehood has been fueled by the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza, which has killed more than 65,000 people, reduced much of the territory to rubble, displaced the majority of its 2.2 million residents, and plunged the enclave into famine.

Last week, a report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.

The United Kingdom, Malta, Canada, Australia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Andorra, and San Marino are among the states set to recognize Palestine during the UNGA, though some are attaching conditions to their recognition.

This move aligns with decisions made by the majority of countries worldwide over the past decades.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, countries including Spain, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Armenia, and Mexico have also extended recognition.

The United States has criticized the recent momentum for unilateral recognition, while some European states have yet to declare their position.

Israel has condemned the decisions, calling them “a reward for terrorism.”

On Saturday, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the upcoming conference in a phone call, describing it as a “pivotal step” toward achieving the two-state solution.

Egypt has emphasized that the growing global recognition reflects the justness of the Palestinian cause and a determination to end the historic injustice suffered by the Palestinian people.