Palestinian officials said on Tuesday that an international coalition is taking shape to implement the New York declaration adopted at the United Nations, in a bid to turn a wave of recognitions of Palestinian statehood into concrete steps toward building an independent state.
The initiative, discussed at Monday's international conference on the two‑state solution, aims to move beyond rhetoric and establish a program of practical measures and timelines to translate the recognitions into political reality. The declaration won overwhelming approval at the UN General Assembly on September 12.
“Work is under way to form a coalition that will lead an action plan to embody the state,” a senior Palestinian official told Asharq al‑Awsat.
“These recognitions are the foundation of this movement; they show the world’s commitment to establishing the state and how tired it has grown of the occupation.”
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said the momentum from New York, backed by continued international recognitions, should serve as a lever to press for a comprehensive and final end to the war in Gaza, and to align with detailed reconstruction plans for the enclave and West Bank.
He said the donor conference on Thursday would be an important part of that process.
In a statement on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia and France, co‑chairs of the international effort, called on countries to move quickly from declarations to action, urging implementation of the New York plan through irreversible steps.
The coalition, Palestinian officials say, is designed to ensure that happens.
Israel, which occupies the West Bank and controls Gaza’s borders, has rejected the recognitions and vowed they will not lead to a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened unilateral measures, including annexation of land, in response.
Despite the threats, Palestinian leaders say the coalition under formation signals that the world is preparing to confront Israel diplomatically. “Recognition is only the beginning,” Mustafa said.
“The real task now is to translate it into irreversible actions that secure a sovereign Palestinian state.”
Netanyahu is due to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. It will be their fourth meeting since Trump’s reelection.
