Estonia to participate in UN Palestine conference despite US opposition
Estonia plans to participate in next week's UN conference on Palestine, which will discuss a possible two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, despite opposition from the United States.
The U.S. State Department has warned governments against attending in next week's conference in New York, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday.
"We are urging governments not to participate in the conference, which we view as counterproductive to ongoing, lifesaving efforts to end the war in Gaza and free hostages," said the cable cited by The Telegraph.
It also said that countries taking anti-Israel measures following the conference would be considered as acting against U.S. foreign policy interests. It added that they could face diplomatic consequences from Washington.
"We confirm that Estonia will participate in the conference," said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Reti Tauts to ERR on Thursday.
However, she could not say at what diplomatic level Estonia would be represented at the event.
"Estonia is actively engaging with both Israeli and Palestinian representatives. We are interested in strong relations and continued cooperation with both sides," Tauts said in response to ERR's request for comment.
"Estonia maintains its position that a two-state solution is necessary for achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. We call on both sides to continue diplomatic efforts. We also support the United States' efforts to achieve peace," the media adviser added.
In its cable, the U.S. State Department expressed opposition to any steps that would unilaterally recognize Palestine as a state.
"Which adds significant legal and political obstacles to the eventual resolution of the conflict and could coerce Israel during a war, thereby supporting its enemies," it stated.
The Telegraph also reported that this week, the United Kingdom and Canada, both U.S. allies like Israel, joined Australia, New Zealand, and Norway in imposing sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers, aiming to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the Gaza war.
The decision drew criticism from the United States.
Israel has repeatedly criticized the conference, organized jointly by France and Saudi Arabia, saying it rewards fighters of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, and has attempted to pressure France not to recognize Palestine as a state.
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Editor: Mait Ots, Helen Wright
