Hey fam! Big news this Monday: France and Saudi Arabia are hosting a global summit in Paris to push for a two-state solution, aiming for independent Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side. ✌️🌍
With dozens of leaders expected to join, several countries plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state. On Sunday, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal already gave the green light, and France (plus five more) are set to follow suit. 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇦🇺🇵🇹🇫🇷
But Israel and the U.S. are giving this party a hard pass. Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dubbed it a 'circus', and both Jerusalem and Washington will skip the summit. Meanwhile, whispers are swirling that Israel might respond by annexing parts of the occupied West Bank if things go south. 🤔
The U.S. also warned of possible consequences for countries taking steps against Israel. It's a high-stakes game of diplomatic chess! ♟️
As for the Palestinian side, 89-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas goes into this without Israel's trust, since they doubt the Palestinian Authority will deliver on promised reforms. Abbas and other Palestinian officials will join via video link (visas didn't come through). 📹
Interestingly, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is co-host but won't be there in person; he'll also appear by video. 🎥
Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin fired up the crowd on Sunday: 'The world is saying out loud a Palestinian state and we need to materialize it. Now they need to show what these measures are.' 👏
In a nutshell, this summit is a flashpoint for global politics, and young voices everywhere are watching. Could this be a turning point for peace? Stay tuned! 🌟
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
