U.N. General Assembly Opens as Gaza War, Palestinian State Question Take Center Stage

NEW YORK — The United Nations General Assembly opened its week of diplomacy with world leaders converging for a six-day General Debate, focusing on Gaza and the broader Palestinian state question even as climate, poverty and multiple conflicts loom large on the agenda.

On Monday, a conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia pressed the case for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several countries announced or reaffirmed recognition of a Palestinian state, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco. A day earlier, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal had signaled recognition. Germany, Italy and Japan participated in the conference but opted not to recognize statehood. Notably absent were Israel and the United States, which argued that endorsing a Palestinian state at this stage could reward Hamas and hinder diplomacy to halt the war and secure the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

Tuesday marks the start of the General Debate, the centerpiece of the UN’s annual gathering. Brazil leads off in a decades-long tradition, followed by a slate of other speakers including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jordan's King Abdullah II, French President Emmanuel Macron, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Heads of state, heads of government, monarchs and senior ministers are among those scheduled to speak during the six days of addresses. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described the event as a crossroads, urging nations not to abandon diplomacy.

"We cannot take the easy path and simply give up,” Baerbock said during a Monday event marking the UN's 80th anniversary. “We have to choose the right path, to show the world that we can be better together — not because the last 80 years were perfect, but because for 80 years, we have tried.”

The remarks come as the UN faces a crowded and contentious agenda. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing the anniversary commemoration, warned that civilians are targeted and international law is trampled in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and beyond, while poverty and hunger rise and climate-driven disasters escalate. “The planet burns, with fires, floods and record heat raging through climate chaos,” he said, underscoring that the UN’s founding principles are under pressure like never before.

The Assembly’s week unfolds amid a broader geopolitical backdrop in which Washington has trimmed international aid, pulled back from some UN bodies and scaled funding for the world body, even as the majority of member states participate in the six-day speech cycle. The latest rosters show 89 heads of state, 43 heads of government, 10 vice presidents or deputy prime ministers and 45 foreign ministers and other ministerial-level officials on the schedule.

Gaza already dominates discussions this week, with a growing international chorus favoring a two-state framework and a sustained push to address humanitarian needs amid ongoing fighting. The conference and the debates will also test whether the UN can translate exhortations for multilateralism into practical action as conflicts persist, humanitarian needs expand and climate threats intensify. While the General Debate is a ritual of diplomacy, observers note that the real measure of success will be whether leaders can chart concrete steps toward stabilizing regions, protecting civilians and rebuilding trust in a system many say is under strain.