PARIS (AP) — A top-level U.N. conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians scheduled for next week has been postponed amid surging tensions in the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday.
France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-chair the conference hosted by the U.N. General Assembly in New York on June 17-20, and Macron had been among leaders scheduled to attend. The Palestinian Authority hoped the conference would revive the long-defunct peace process.
Macron expressed his “determination to recognize the state of Palestine” at some point, despite the postponement. France has pushed for a broader movement toward recognizing a Palestinian state in parallel with recognition of Israel and its right to defend itself.
After Israel's strikes on Iran on Friday, Macron said that France’s military forces around the Middle East are ready to help protect partners in the region, including Israel, but wouldn't take part in any attacks on Iran.
Macron told reporters that the two-state conference was postponed for logistical and security reasons, and because some Palestinian representatives couldn’t come to the event. He insisted that it would be held “as soon as possible” and that he was in discussion with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a new date.
The U.N. ambassadors from France and Saudi Arabia said in a letter to the 193 U.N. member nations that the delay is “due to the current circumstances in the Middle East that prevent regional leaders from attending the conference in New York.”
France’s Jerome Bonnafont and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Alwasil said the conference will open on June 17 in the General Assembly hall, but only to propose and agree to its suspension. They invited all countries to attend the opening.
“We are determined to resume the conference at the earliest possible date,” the two ambassadors said.
Macron said the aim of the conference "is a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizing the existence and the security of Israel.” Any such state would exclude any Hamas leaders, he said.
Macron said that the Israel-Iran conflict, the war in Gaza and the situation for Palestinians around the region are all “interlinked.”
Macron spoke on Friday with 10 world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, about the Israeli strikes on Iran and consequences.
One of the aims at the U.N. conference was to increase the number of countries recognizing Palestinian territories as an independent state. So far, more than 145 of the 193 U.N. member nations have done so. The Palestinians view their state as encompassing Gaza and the West Bank with east Jerusalem as the capital.
Netanyahu has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, and Israel refused to participate in the conference.
French President Emmanuel Macron holds a news conference at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool)
French President Emmanuel Macron holds a news conference at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool)
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to hold a press conference at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Friday, June 13, 2025.. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Yes, Sean Payton would prefer to blame the Denver Broncos' stagnant offense on facing two backup quarterbacks whose teams were intent on keeping Bo Nix from running up the score.
“Yeah, I'd like to say that, but honestly, you guys know me well enough, we're going to have to play better,” the Broncos head coach said Friday after a spirited practice he compared to OTA days with the starters squaring off.
After losing 34-20 to Jacksonville at home on Dec. 21, snapping their 11-game winning streak, the Broncos won at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2015 when they beat the Chiefs and their third-string quarterback 20-13 on Christmas night.
With Justin Herbert and several of his teammates sitting out Week 18, the Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 19-3 but didn't score an offensive touchdown, going 0 for 3 in the red zone.
Still, those two victories helped secure the top overall seed in the AFC playoffs and the lone first-round bye that comes with it. They'll face the lowest remaining seed after wild-card weekend in the divisional round next week.
The popular narrative around Broncos Country is that Payton held back over the last two weeks with conservative calls and vanilla gameplans so as not to show anything to opponents heading into the postseason.
“I'd love to say that we pulled a bunch back, but the tape from last week wasn't really good offensively,” Payton said. “Wasn't great in Kansas City, either. It was good enough to win that game. But no, we've got to be sharper. As we get to these next games here we're going to see good teams that can score and we're going to see (stingy) defenses.”
That's why the Broncos didn't just go through the motions Friday when they reconvened after a 72-hour break to rest their minds and bodies following a 14-3 season.
“I said to them, ‘Look, I don’t want to go out and just fill in today, or just fill in time. I'm going to be honest with you, our third-down numbers bother me on each side of the ball,'" Payton recounted. "We can improve in that area.
“These games are going to come down to the 2-minute. I want those to be competitive, all right? And then I really want to work our red zone offense and defense.”
So, the Broncos didn't practice with the Chargers, Steelers, Texans or Bills in mind — those are the four teams they could face first in the divisional round — but were focused on execution and effort.
“Yeah, I was a little salty last week,” Payton said, referencing some harsh words he had for a columnist who made a wisecrack at his postgame news conference. “It wasn't just (the columnist). I was just salty.”
Payton is of the mindset that the biggest benefit to having the top seed is having to win just two games to reach the Super Bowl instead of three. Still, the rest and four days off were much needed and appreciated.
“It was good,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “It was great to get rest and be able to chill out and enjoy some family time this week. My wife and I are about 2 1/2 weeks away from our second (child), so it's nice. We're nesting a little bit. But, no, it was good. Got the body right, get some treatment, get some workouts in during the week and then today was good, clean, get to kind of knock the rust off, get some long individual work in and then compete a little bit.”
McGlinchey concurred with his coach that the film review was uncomfortable and chock full of caveats.
“First and foremost, the obvious thing is executing in the red zone,” he said. “You've got to turn field goals into touchdowns and that's how you win games, especially this late in the year and especially as you go through the playoffs. Got to be better on third down — by being better on first and second down. ... We've just go to clean up details and we'll be fine."
After another similar practice Saturday, the Broncos will return to work either Monday or Tuesday, depending on when their first game is.
“You play great teams in the playoffs, that's the bottom line,” McGlinchey said. “It doesn't matter who we play. Whoever's going to come to town here is going to be a great challenge for us and we'll cross that bridge when we get there.”
NOTES: Payton said he expected ILB Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) to return during the playoffs, but added he wasn't ready to make a prediction about the return of RB J.K. Dobbins from Lisfranc foot surgery.
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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Eric Lutzens)
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton responds to a question during a news conference after an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Eric Lutzens)
