More countries expected to recognise 'our state' at upcoming conference, says Palestinian minister

Arab states are 'our backbone', says Foreign Affairs Minister Varsen Aghabekian

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More countries are expected to recognise a Palestinian state at an upcoming UN conference in New York, a Palestinian minister has said, amid growing international support, and mounting pressure on Israel to end its war in Gaza.

Major partners of Israel have become more critical over the war, the chaotic nature of the country's humanitarian aid scheme and its expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

“Arab states are our backbone. We have seen this during the collective voicing of disapproval of displacement of Palestinians, by all Arab states – which paid off, because that idea has been put aside for the time being,” Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Varsen Aghabekian told The National.

Ms Aghabekian said the anticipated recognition of Palestine by additional countries at the UN conference, scheduled for June 17–20 and led by France and Saudi Arabia, will not be merely “symbolic”.

High-level participation will hold “everyone” to account and bring an opportunity to “revive a credible peace process”, she said.

While it remains unclear whether the US will be among the countries recognising Palestine as a state, Ms Aghabekian said she would “love” to see that happen. Currently, 149 of the 193 UN General Assembly member states recognise Palestine.

Ms Aghabekian recently concluded a diplomatic tour that included several European nations. Speaking to The National from Ramallah, she said there has been a noticeable shift in global perspectives, not only on the Palestinian cause but also on Israel.

“There has been some shift … and some countries are using a new narrative we’ve not heard before,” she said in an apparent reference to the sharper tone adopted by the UK, Canada and France. They warned Israel this month that they could impose targeted sanctions if it continues to broaden its war on Gaza and to expand settlements in the West Bank.

But even after this criticism, Israel on Thursday approved 22 new settlements, reflecting what the Palestinian official said is the need for a two-pronged approach that does not rely solely on the recognition itself.

“It would mean a lot if this was accompanied by measures on the ground to hold Israel accountable … but again, it doesn’t mean a lot to the people on the ground who have had their homes demolished and suffocated by the occupation,” she said.

This change in perspective, Ms Aghabekian added, was influenced by the scenes in Gaza during “Israel's genocidal war”, which has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians and wounded 123,492 since October 2023, according to Gaza's health officials. She also criticised “Israel’s growing belligerence”.

On Friday, Israeli media reported that Israel will prevent a delegation of Arab foreign ministers from entering Ramallah to attend a planned meeting in the Palestinian administrative capital.

“I don’t think this comes as a shock to anybody. Israel has been following the exclusion policy for decades and is failing to understand that it needs to integrate in the region,” Ms Aghabekian said.

Most of the countries reportedly scheduled to visit Ramallah had normalised ties with Israel. The fact that even these are not being allowed in is “very telling and impedes further normalisation”, the minister said.

She noted that by not letting these countries visit – even to discuss peace – Israel is further propagating the idea that it does not wish to comply “with anyone” and would continue its aggression against the Palestinians.