United Nations Gathering Focuses on Gaza and Palestinian Future
United Nations General Assembly Summit Highlights Global Concerns
Next week, world leaders will gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly summit. Among the pressing issues on the agenda are Iran's nuclear program, the future of Palestine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and climate change.
Iran's nuclear program will be a high priority at the summit, as sanctions against Tehran could be reinstated at the end of September following a process triggered in late August by Paris, London, and Berlin. The future of Palestine is another main focus of this year's summit, with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, a prominent new addition to the group of nearly 140 world leaders, expected to address the issue.
The Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas, has been denied a US visa to attend the summit by President Donald Trump, who has also initiated massive cuts to US foreign aid and vowed to deny visas to the Palestinian delegation. Meanwhile, France is expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the summit, a move that could lead to pressure on Israel to end its campaign in Gaza, according to International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan.
The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has persisted for two years following an Israeli offensive, and the future of the Palestinians and Gaza is a significant concern at the summit. A text supporting a future Palestinian state was adopted by the General Assembly last week, but without Hamas.
Climate change is also on the agenda, with a climate summit scheduled to take place on Wednesday, organized by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Brazil's President Lula. Some states may announce new goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions just weeks ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
The Israeli and Palestinian two-state solution will be discussed in meetings co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. Federico Borello, Interim Executive Director at Human Rights Watch, stated that the multilateral system is under an existential threat, citing examples of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere by powerful states, possibly including permanent members of the Security Council.
In addition to these issues, Guterres called for action on Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and climate change, stating that people are demanding answers and action that match the gravity of the challenges the world faces. The countries expected to officially recognize the Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly are Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Portugal, France, and Belgium; the USA and Germany do not intend to recognize it at this time.
Al-Sharaa, who overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad nearly a year ago, now faces the challenges of rebuilding after years of civil war. The summit promises to be a critical forum for addressing the world's most pressing issues and finding solutions to the challenges that lie ahead.
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