Overview

• Debate at the 80th session centers on the war in Gaza and the future of Palestine, with broad international condemnation of Israel's offensive.
• The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognized the State of Palestine, and France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta were expected to consider similar steps on Monday in New York.
• President Donald Trump's administration barred Mahmoud Abbas and roughly 80 Palestinian officials from attending, prompting remote participation and prompting discussion of relocating portions of the session to Geneva.
• Secretary‑General António Guterres renewed calls to reinvent the UN as it advances a 2026 budget proposal that cuts resources by 15.1% and labor costs by 18.8%.
• Observers highlight Security Council vetoes as blocking decisive action on conflicts including Gaza and Ukraine, while the International Court of Justice has described the Gaza case as a plausible genocide.