Summary
- The U.S.
will not attend the upcoming UN conference on the Israel two-state
solution. - State
Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed the decision at a
press briefing. - The
conference is scheduled for later this month at the United Nations. - No
further details were provided on the U.S. absence or alternative
engagement plans.
Later this month, a United Nations summit on the two-state
solution is planned.
In June, the Trump administration dissuaded governments from
attending a United Nations conference on the topic.
During a briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt expressed
uncertainty about whether US President Donald Trump would have a message for
the nations attending the conference.
“I think the president’s message on this conflict in
the Middle East, which has been going on for a long time and has become quite
brutal – especially in Gaza – is clear: The president doesn’t like to see
that,” she said. “He wants the killing to end, to negotiate a
ceasefire in this region, and he wants to see all of the hostages released from
Gaza. That has been a top priority for this president.”
How might the US absence impact the success of future
Israel-Palestinian negotiations?
Historically, the U.S. has played a crucial role as the
primary mediator in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, providing
diplomatic support, facilitating talks, and offering security guarantees. Its
disengagement reduces a key diplomatic driver needed to break deadlocks and
build trust between the parties.
The U.S. still holds substantial political and economic
leverage over both Israel and the Palestinians. Without active U.S.
involvement, the ability to incentivize compromises and enforce agreements
diminishes, while questions persist about the credibility and neutrality of
alternative mediators.
