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France Hints at Changing Stance Over Two-State Solution In Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

People hold a Palestinian flag during a protest against the normalization (Reuters)
People hold a Palestinian flag during a protest against the normalization (Reuters)
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France Hints at Changing Stance Over Two-State Solution In Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

People hold a Palestinian flag during a protest against the normalization (Reuters)
People hold a Palestinian flag during a protest against the normalization (Reuters)

The Palestinian leadership will discuss with French officials the recent reports claiming Paris has changed its position on the two-state solution, according to a top Palestinian source.

The source explained that if France has another solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, then it must present it and show prove how it could be implemented.

He stressed that Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership still insist on a two-state solution, with Palestine as an independent state with the 1967 borders and Jerusalem as its capital.

The source stressed that it is not possible to establish a single state because it requires granting Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem equal rights with Israelis, which Tel Aviv won’t accept or allow.

This also means that Palestinians will have the same rights as Israeli citizenship holders, including candidacy and voting in any elections.

Recent reports claimed that the French ambassador to Israel, Eric Danon, said that Paris is working to change its position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Speaking during a session with a research center promoting strategic relations between Europe and Israel, Danon said that France will not negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians.

He indicated that it is a bilateral issue and France wants to take into account the new situation and return to the negotiations.

The envoy indicated that France prefers a two-state solution, but that doesn’t mean they can’t accept something else, adding that his country will accept any solution agreed upon by the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The French ambassador added that six months ago, no one could have imagined Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would sign a peace agreement.

He said the Middle East has completely changed because of the United States, Iran, and Turkey, adding that Israel has become a new regional power.

The Palestinians must take into account their weak position on the international and Arab arenas, stressed Danon.

Diplomatic sources in Paris revealed that France does not rule out the possibility of a different solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to the Maariv newspaper.

The diplomats explained that the French diplomacy is having difficulty backing the two-state solution because it has become unrealistic.

They told Maariv that the ambassador was clear in saying that if Israelis and Palestinians reached a solution, France will not reject it, stressing the importance of resuming negotiations as soon as possible. They warned that Palestinians could lose everything now.

The idea of the one-state has been discussed before among Palestinian and US officials, considering the establishment of two states is far-fetched and impossible. However, the Authority has always rejected this idea.

The Palestinian leadership continues to adhere to internationally sponsored negotiations leading to an independent Palestinian state, despite the dramatic international and regional developments regarding the peace process and the ties with Israel.

However, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that the US-Israeli pressure on the Palestinians will cease after the US elections.

Shtayyeh criticized “the joint US-Israeli pressure in favor of the re-election of US President Donald Trump,"

He called upon “some Arab brethren to learn from history,” indicating that Tel Aviv does not respect the promises made, urging them not to be deceived by Israel.

He pointed out that Palestine is “still living in harsh circumstances, including the financial siege and pressures.” However, he also expressed his confidence that the Palestinians will survive the siege and achieve national unity.

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Arab World

Türkiye Says Syrian Government Could Use Force Against Kurds

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan answers questions from reporters during a news conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan answers questions from reporters during a news conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
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Türkiye Says Syrian Government Could Use Force Against Kurds

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan answers questions from reporters during a news conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)
Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan answers questions from reporters during a news conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP)

The Syrian government army could use further force against Kurdish militants after a flare-up in violence in northern Syria, the foreign minister of neighboring Türkiye, a strong backer of the Syrian authorities, said on Thursday.

More than 150,000 people have fled from two Kurdish-run pockets of Syria's northern city of Aleppo during five days of fighting between government forces and ‌Kurdish fighters. ‌Syria's health ministry says at least 23 ‌people ⁠have died.

Türkiye has itself threatened a potential military operation against the Syrian Kurdish groups it calls terrorists.

It says the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) must integrate into the central government under a nearly year-old agreement that has stalled.

"I hope it doesn't come to ⁠that point ... but when problems are not solved through dialogue, unfortunately, I see from ‌here that the use of force is ‍also an option for the ‍Syrian government," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a press conference in ‍Istanbul.

The violence in Aleppo has deepened one of the main faultlines in Syria, where President Ahmed al-Sharaa's promise to unify the country under one leadership after 14 years of war has faced resistance from Kurdish forces wary of his government.

Syria's military has declared a handful of Kurdish-held towns in the north as a "military zone" ⁠and said all non-state factions stationed there should leave the area.

On Wednesday and Thursday, it dispatched fighters and military equipment to the zone and opened a humanitarian corridor for people to flee.

Fidan said that the SDF must show good intentions and break out of a cycle of violence. Türkiye says the SDF is aligned with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party militant group, which is involved in a peace process with Ankara.

Fidan added that the peace process with the PKK should not become a missed opportunity, and Ankara hopes it ‌will continue.

Arab World

Sudan Food Aid Could Run Out as Peace Efforts Stall

According to the UN, more than 21 million people are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance. (AFP)
According to the UN, more than 21 million people are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance. (AFP)
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Sudan Food Aid Could Run Out as Peace Efforts Stall

According to the UN, more than 21 million people are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance. (AFP)
According to the UN, more than 21 million people are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance. (AFP)

Food aid in Sudan is set to run out by the end of March unless new funding is secured, the United Nations said Thursday, raising fears for millions caught up in the world's largest hunger crisis.

Nearly three years of fighting between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have left tens of thousands dead, 11 million displaced and repeated attempts at peace blocked.

Efforts led by the US and regional mediators -- Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, known as the Quad -- have failed to secure a ceasefire, as both sides wrestle for territorial gain.

A high-level meeting on Wednesday in Cairo brought together officials from the Quad countries, as well as the UN, European Union and regional organizations to discuss peace efforts, which have seen little progress.

"By the end of March, we will have depleted our food stocks in Sudan," said Ross Smith, the World Food Program's Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

"Without immediate additional funding, millions of people will be left without vital food assistance within weeks."

According to the UN, more than 21 million people -- almost half of Sudan's population -- are now facing acute food insecurity, with two-thirds in urgent need of assistance.

The UN's children agency UNICEF said last week that millions of children have been pushed "to the brink of survival" and humanitarian aid remains "far from sufficient" amid funding shortfalls and ongoing hostilities.

- 'Absolute minimum' -

In December, outgoing UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said a wave of "drastic, irresponsible" aid cuts inflicted unnecessary suffering on those in need.

Smith said WFP has been forced to cut rations to the "absolute minimum for survival" and warned that previous "hard-earned gains" in hard-to-reach areas risk being reversed.

WFP says it urgently needs $700 million to continue its operations through June.

A UN-backed assessment confirmed last year that famine had taken hold in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which was overrun by the paramilitary forces in October.

On Wednesday, US senior advisor for Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos said the UN delivered more than 1.3 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to el-Fasher, the first such delivery since the city was besieged in May 2024.

But aid agencies warn that a deteriorating security situation across Darfur continues to jeopardize the delivery of desperately needed assistance.

Famine has also been confirmed in Kadugli, in neighboring Kordofan, now a key battleground in the conflict.

In Dilling, around 130 kilometers (80 miles) north, the UN says civilians are likely experiencing famine conditions, though insecurity has prevented formal declaration.

The UN warned that 20 more areas across Darfur and Kordofan are at risk.

- Renewed peace talks -

In November, US President Donald Trump pledged to help end the conflict, but his promise has yet to materialize.

In Egypt, the UN Secretary General's Sudan envoy Ramtane Lamamra met Wednesday with Boulos and other diplomats as part of the fifth meeting of the Consultative Mechanism to Enhance and Coordinate Peace Efforts.

Lamamra called it "a key and timely opportunity for international actors to align efforts and renew collective engagement", but a diplomatic source told AFP there are no new truce proposals currently on the table.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Wednesday that there was a consensus on a humanitarian truce and the rejection of "foreign interference".

But he also emphasized what he described as Egypt's "red lines" and readiness to defend its southern neighbor's territorial integrity.

Arab World

Int’l Momentum Builds for Paris Conference to Support Lebanese Army, Enforce Arms Monopoly

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chairs a meeting with representatives of the “Quintet” at the Presidential Palace in Beirut (AFP). 
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chairs a meeting with representatives of the “Quintet” at the Presidential Palace in Beirut (AFP). 
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Int’l Momentum Builds for Paris Conference to Support Lebanese Army, Enforce Arms Monopoly

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chairs a meeting with representatives of the “Quintet” at the Presidential Palace in Beirut (AFP). 
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chairs a meeting with representatives of the “Quintet” at the Presidential Palace in Beirut (AFP). 

The announcement of a conference to support the Lebanese Army, scheduled to be held in Paris on March 5, has gathered notable international momentum, bolstered by the backing of the so-called “Quintet” comprising Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Egypt, and Qatar.

The conference is widely seen as part of a broader effort to strengthen the army’s ability to carry out its mandate, particularly enforcing the state’s exclusive control over weapons and dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

The announcement came amid intensified Arab and international diplomatic engagement with Beirut, after Lebanon pledged last week to move to the second phase of its plan to confine weapons to official state institutions.

The government tasked the Lebanese Army with drafting an implementation plan by early February.

Lebanese ministerial sources following the issue told Asharq Al-Awsat that the diplomatic backing “has given the announcement strong momentum and significantly improved the conference’s prospects for success.”

Following a meeting at the presidential palace between President Joseph Aoun, Saudi Foreign Ministry adviser Prince Yazid bin Farhan, and French envoy and former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, and attended by several ambassadors, including that of the United States, presidential spokesperson Najat Charafeddine said the talks focused on preparations for a conference to support the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces.

She announced that the conference would be held in Paris on March 5 and opened by French President Emmanuel Macron, adding that participants agreed to step up contacts to ensure the widest possible participation.

In the run-up to the conference, meetings are expected between the Lebanese Army command and donor countries to assess needs and requirements. The sources noted that discussions in Baabda also addressed Lebanon’s plan to implement the arms monopoly. Representatives of countries supporting Lebanon urged authorities to accelerate the plan’s various stages.

Paris had previously hosted a meeting on December 18 attended by Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal and envoys from Saudi Arabia and the United States, focusing on ways to support the army and verify progress on the ground in dismantling Hezbollah’s weapons.

Since the government approved the arms-monopoly plan last August, Lebanon has received promises of an international support conference amid severe shortages in equipment, manpower, and technical capabilities.

Lebanon’s plan faces two principal obstacles: the limited capabilities of the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah’s refusal to relinquish its weapons.

While the Paris conference aims to address the army’s resource constraints, ministerial sources said Hezbollah’s rejection would not affect international support, stressing that assistance “is not conditional on the party’s cooperation,” though cooperation would increase donor enthusiasm.

According to official statements, the Baabda meeting was attended by the US ambassador, the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and France, as well as a Qatari assistant foreign minister.

Le Drian later met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to brief him on preparations for the Paris conference and reaffirm France’s support for financial reform legislation and the restoration of deposits.

He also met Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who praised French and international efforts to support Lebanon and its army, reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to Resolution 1701, and warned against continued Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and the ongoing occupation of parts of southern Lebanon.