NEW YORK CITY: The UN General Assembly on Friday voted to resume a high-level international summit on the two-state solution on Sept. 22, reviving a process that was suspended during the summer amid escalating violence in the Middle East.

It followed a proposal by Saudi Arabia and France that was adopted despite strong objections from Israel and the US, both of which disassociated themselves from the decision and described the initiative as politically motivated and harmful to peace efforts.

The High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine initially convened during the 79th session of the General Assembly but was suspended on July 30. The conference will now resume during the General Assembly’s 80th session, at the level of heads of state and government, underscoring the need for what proponents describe as an urgent international push toward a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.

Speaking before the vote on the proposal, the Saudi representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, delivering remarks on behalf of Riyadh and Paris, said the initiative was not aimed at any particular side or party but was “a reflection of our shared commitment to uphold international law and relevant UN resolutions.”

He added: “The situation on the ground in Palestine has never been more dire. Escalating violence, deepening humanitarian suffering and the erosion of hope for peace all underscore the urgency of our collective responsibility.

“This process cannot be allowed to stall. The resumption of the conference is a substantive commitment by the international community to act with resolve, consistency and responsibility.”

Israel rejected the decision, accusing backers of the proposal of “procedural bullying” and complaining of a lack of transparency in the process behind it.

“This is not a serious attempt at peacemaking, it is a performance, a publicity stunt,” the Israeli representative said.

“Far from advancing peace, it threatens to prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and undermine real diplomatic efforts.”

The representative warned that such gestures send the wrong signal to militants, and that terrorist groups such as Hamas have publicly praised recent international initiatives, interpreting them as validation of their tactics.

The US also formally opposed the decision by the General Assembly, warning that the conference itself, along with the resolution mandating it, lacks legitimacy.

“We were surprised and dismayed to see this proposal added to the agenda only yesterday,” the US envoy said, bemoaning a lack of transparency surrounding the text, the timing and the budgetary implications of the move.

Describing the resumption of the summit as an “ill-timed publicity stunt,” the envoy warned that the conference could embolden Hamas and prolong the conflict, and stated that Washington would not participate.

“This is an insult to the victims of Oct. 7,” the US representative said, referring to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2023.

“Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not stage-managed conferences designed to manufacture the appearance of relevance.”