Middle East diplomacy is once again in churn, with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict pulling in world powers, reshaping alliances, and testing even the most familiar partnerships.
ALSO READ | Doha’s dilemma: Between mediation and confrontation with Israel
Much of the latest shift has played out at the United Nations, where an overwhelming vote for a two-state solution has underscored just how isolated Israel now finds itself.
What is the New York Declaration?
The UN General Assembly voted yesterday in favour of the New York Declaration, a resolution urging renewed efforts towards peace and a two-state settlement. As many as 142 countries backed it, while just 10 voted against and 12 chose to abstain: a clear signal of where the international mood now lies.
Co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, the declaration condemned both Hamas’ October 7 attacks on civilians and Israel’s military response, including the siege and bombardment of Gaza.
It outlined a framework under which the Palestinian Authority would govern all Palestinian territories, Hamas would disarm, and an international stabilisation mission under UN auspices would be deployed. The text urged the recognition of Palestine as vital to any settlement, and warned against unilateral steps that threatened this goal.
A difference in response to Palestinian statehood vs the Qatar strike
Momentum for Palestinian statehood has been growing with seven Western countries—including the UK, Australia and France—pledging recognition. Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour described the vote as a reflection of the world’s desire to keep alive the prospect of peace.
Israel and the United States rejected the measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted there would never be a Palestinian state, while Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the resolution as theatre that served Hamas. Washington described it as a misguided stunt and a gift to terrorism.
At the same time, the UN Security Council on Thursday issued a unanimous condemnation of Israel’s airstrike on a residential complex in Doha on September 9. The strike killed a Qatari security officer and several Hamas functionaries in a diplomatic district where Hamas officials were meeting to discuss a US proposal on Gaza.
"Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar," said the statement, drafted by the UK and France. It was endorsed by all 15 members, including the United States. This was a rare departure from Washington’s practice of shielding Israel from censure. Although the text avoided naming Israel directly, it called for de-escalation and expressed solidarity with Qatar.
United States in a difficult position
Qatar reacted angrily to the attack. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani accused Israel of crossing all boundaries, warning that it would be difficult to continue hosting Israeli representatives. Qatar has hosted Hamas’ political office at the request of the US to facilitate mediation. Israel defended its actions, with Danon arguing there could be no sanctuary for terrorists.
The strike placed the Trump administration in a difficult position. President Trump sought to distance himself, saying the attack did not serve American or Israeli interests. He reassured Qatar’s Emir that such actions would not be repeated, but Netanyahu’s threat of more strikes immediately undermined this assurance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to steady the situation by meeting Qatar’s prime minister in Washington before travelling to Israel for a two-day visit. His trip was intended both to reaffirm US support for Israel and to underline American opposition to the unilateral recognition of Palestine.
Rubio also arranged to meet families of hostages held by Hamas and discuss Israel’s military objectives with its leaders. The administration’s efforts underscored its reluctance to impose costs on Israel while trying to preserve trust with Arab partners.
India's response
India’s response was also significant. Breaking from its pattern of abstention on Gaza-related resolutions, New Delhi voted in favour of the General Assembly resolution supporting a two-state solution.
Modi also spoke by phone to the Emir of Qatar, condemning the Doha strike as an infringement of sovereignty.
Although his public statement avoided naming Israel, Qatar’s account of the call stressed that India denounced what it described as a cowardly Israeli attack and a violation of international law.
Modi also criticised terrorism in all forms, in an effort to balance criticism of Israel with India’s own security concerns.
Yet, the strong language clearly showed the value New Delhi places on its ties with Qatar.
The isolation of Israel
These developments seem to point towards a growing sense of Israel’s diplomatic isolation. The General Assembly vote—along with pledges of recognition from Western states—could leave Israel and the United States nearly alone in rejecting Palestinian statehood.
ALSO READ | Does Israel’s Qatar strike threaten the US–Gulf strategic partnership?
The European Union has also floated sanctions targeting extremist Israeli ministers and suggested suspending parts of its trade relationship: a serious threat, given that the EU is Israel’s largest trading partner. Brussels has also announced a donor mechanism for Gaza’s reconstruction, sending a signal that the forced displacement of Palestinians is unacceptable.
Arab states have reacted sharply to the Doha strike. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others denounced what they saw as reckless adventurism, adding to the anger already fuelled by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The backlash risks pushing Arab governments closer to Iran, and may lead to a reassessment of frameworks such as the Abraham Accords.
At the same time, the decision of several Arab states to lean closer to the Russia-China camp has reinforced the sense that Israel is facing an increasingly hostile international climate.
Israel, however, shows no sign of bending. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains adamant in his rejection of Palestinian statehood, but the price of that defiance is steadily rising.
Long-time allies are keeping their distance, international consensus around recognising Palestine is gaining momentum, and the prospect of European economic pressure is drawing closer.
Washington still shields Israel diplomatically, yet the United States is being pulled in two directions—needing to reassure its Gulf partners while continuing to back its closest ally in the region. For India, the turmoil has opened a space to recalibrate its approach and project itself as a more confident diplomatic player.