Blueprint for a new multilateralism?

A 'little' pushback can go a long way. The line of wealthy US allies like France, Canada, Britain and, on Monday, Australia announcing that they will recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN next month, may be seen by critics as being a political fig leaf as they continue to support Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu regime. But it is the most credible push in recent times to make the two-state solution a reality. With 147 countries, including India, already recognising the Palestinian state, this is fresh, meaningful impetus.

The US and 15 EU member states continue to be hold-outs. But with 4 of the 5 UNSC permanent members swivelling, there is greater credibility now. At the France-Saudi Arabia UN conference in July, high-level working groups were set up to examine and put forward proposals on a wide range of issues related to the two-state solution. Translating renewed support for Palestinian statehood to the 8-decade-long Palestine-Israel crisis won't be easy, especially with Israel calling anyone critical of its genocidal actions in Gaza - or even calling it a 'genocide' - antisemitic. But more and more countries are calling out Tel Aviv on this, and indeed Washington.

This could be a healthy new template for allies of the US to discover a space in which playing their traditional role of following the piper finds a critical variance. In other words, a common set of values - rather than blind historical loyalty - to guide their geopolitics, and indeed realpolitik. It is also bringing countries that have been historically at odds with each other together, so as to resolve one of the most intractable challenges of world politics. In doing so, we may see a blueprint of multilateral functioning that is fit for purpose for our times.