EDITORIAL: As public outrage mounts around the world over Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza, marked by the death and destruction of countless lives and the use of starvation as a weapon of war, even the US — Israel’s staunchest ally — can no longer turn a blind eye to the escalating humanitarian crisis.
In a striking departure from the traditional US stance, President Donald Trump, speaking at a press conference in the UK on Monday, contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s dismissal of starvation concerns in Gaza as “Hamas propaganda.”
Trump expressed serious concern, telling reporters, “We’re going to be getting some good, strong food; we can save a lot of people. I mean, some of those kids — that’s real starvation stuff… It’s crazy what’s going on over there.” His remarks have garnered significant attention, not only because he is US president but also because they signify a change in policy, which has long been characterised by unwavering support for Israel.
Meanwhile, France’s announcement to formally recognise Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in September, coupled with its co-hosting of a UN Security Council conference on the two-state solution alongside Saudi Arabia — an event boycotted by both Israel and the US — marks a significant shift in the diplomatic landscape surrounding the Palestinian issue. For decades, the two-state solution has been the cornerstone of peace efforts, underpinned by numerous UN resolutions, internationally mediated agreements and proposals.
Yet, each time, these efforts have been derailed by Israel with active complicity of Western powers, particularly the US. Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion plan in the occupied West Bank, its genocidal campaign in Gaza, and the resultant humanitarian disaster have badly hurt the prospects of a peaceful resolution.
However, the decision by France and Saudi Arabia to co-host the UNSC conference, with strong support from Pakistan — July’s UNSC president — represents a crucial attempt to bring the issue back into the global spotlight. It reaffirms that the two-state solution along the 1967 borders is not merely an aspirational goal but a tangible, necessary path toward resolution.
This diplomatic initiative also places increasing pressure on the UK and Germany to step up their support for the two-state solution. For instance, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing pressure, with over 200 lawmakers signing a letter urging him to officially recognise a Palestinian state.
For far too long, Western powers have sidestepped actions that could antagonize Israel. But the catastrophic humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza has created a moral and diplomatic imperative for change. The pressure on the UK and Germany will undoubtedly intensify as conditions in Gaza keep worsening. More than 140 UN members have already recognised Palestinian statehood, signalling growing international support for Palestinian self-determination.
Whether the UNSC conference’s push for an independent Palestinian state can break the longstanding deadlock remains uncertain.
Nonetheless, the increasing global consensus is shifting the dynamics of the conflict in ways that could profoundly impact Israel’s expansionist ambitions, which, if unchecked, threaten to further entrench its settler-colonial project. Even as peace remains elusive the growing momentum for a two-state solution offers a glimmer of hope that the political inertia may finally be broken.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025