A Vatican City-Style Solution; Time for the World to Resolve the Palestinian Question.

A Vatican City-Style Solution; Time for the World to Resolve the Palestinian Question.

As the United Nations General Assembly prepares to open its upcoming session, the Palestinian question once again demands urgent international attention. For decades, the conflict has been defined by cycles of war, displacement, failed negotiations, and unfulfilled promises of peace. Today, amid famine in Gaza, rising settler violence in the West Bank, and political deadlock in Israel and Palestine alike, the international community faces a stark choice: either take decisive steps toward justice and statehood, or continue allowing endless suffering to define one of the longest unresolved issues in modern history.

Recent Developments: A Shifting Diplomatic Landscape

Several major developments have set the stage for this year’s debate at the General Assembly:

• Belgium has announced its recognition of a Palestinian state, effective at the UN session this month. France, Malta, and San Marino have made similar commitments, while Canada and the UK are considering recognition under certain conditions. This represents a growing consensus in Europe that the two-state solution can no longer be postponed.

• The United States, however, has taken the opposite course, cancelling visas for Palestinian leaders, effectively blocking them from attending the UN. This decision has drawn criticism from global leaders, including Turkey’s President Erdoğan, who condemned it as undermining the very spirit of diplomacy.

• Saudi Arabia and Arab nations are rallying in support of Palestinian sovereignty, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently meeting Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh in Riyadh, affirming the Kingdom’s commitment to the cause.

These mixed signals highlight both the fragility and the urgency of the moment.

The Palestinian Position: Recognition and Justice

Palestinian leaders insist that recognition at the UN is not symbolic—it is a pathway to ending decades of statelessness. Their demands are consistent and rooted in international law:

1. An end to occupation of Palestinian territories.

2. A sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. The right of return and protection of refugees.

4. An end to blockade and humanitarian crises in Gaza.

Yet, despite global sympathy, the Palestinian voice is repeatedly obstructed in diplomatic forums, often leaving their representatives silenced or excluded. The latest US visa restrictions are just one example of this systemic sidelining.

A Vatican City-Style Proposal

In earlier discussions, I have argued for a Vatican City-style solution for Jerusalem—one that respects its status as a shared spiritual center for the three Abrahamic faiths. Under this model, Jerusalem would be recognized as a neutral, internationally protected city—similar to the Vatican—ensuring free and equal access to all believers, while preventing exclusive political control by any single state.

This solution could coexist with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, reducing one of the core tensions in negotiations: the fate of Jerusalem. Instead of being a flashpoint, the city could become a symbol of unity, peace, and interfaith coexistence.

Why the World Must Act Now

The coming General Assembly is more than a diplomatic ritual—it may be one of the last opportunities to advance a peaceful resolution before the conflict spirals into permanent annexation and irreparable division. The famine in Gaza and ongoing settlement expansions are not abstract problems—they are urgent humanitarian crises demanding immediate attention.

The international community must:

• Recognize the Palestinian state and grant it full UN membership.

• Support frameworks such as the Vatican-style solution for Jerusalem, to protect its sacred character and resolve disputes over sovereignty.

• Enforce accountability on violations of international law, including illegal settlements and collective punishment.

• Ensure that Palestinian voices are heard at the UN, not silenced by visa bans or political maneuvering.

A Call to Conscience

The question of Palestine is not just a regional dispute—it is a moral test for the entire world. Will we continue to tolerate oppression, displacement, and endless conflict, or will we choose justice, peace, and human dignity? The Vatican-style proposal offers a way forward, but only if the global community has the courage to act.

This General Assembly must not be another missed opportunity. It must be the turning point where words finally become action, and promises of peace are transformed into reality.

Syed Ali Raza Naqvi Bukhari

Unity of Peace, Economic Reform, and Global Unity

Founder & Chairman of Tehreek Istehkam Pakistan, and the author of “Law of God” and “Social Democratic System.” Advocates for truth, social justice, and reform in all sectors of society.