President Trump set to address U.N. as Palestinian statehood debate intensifies

President Donald Trump arrived in New York to deliver remarks before the United Nations General Assembly.

(CNN)- President Donald Trump arrived in New York on Tuesday to deliver remarks before the United Nations General Assembly. According to the White House, his speech will highlight U.S. strength and what he views as his personal accomplishments in office.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will also focus on “how globalist institutions have significantly decayed the world order” and present what she called a “straightforward and constructive vision for the world.”

Much attention, however, is on what Trump may say about Gaza and Palestinian statehood. Roughly 80 percent of U.N. members now support recognizing a Palestinian state, with nine additional nations joining that position this week.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden voiced support, saying, “We need to give the Palestinians hope for the future and also make sure that the Israelis can live in peace.” Israel strongly opposes a two-state solution, with Ambassador Danny Danon arguing that U.N. recognition effectively rewards Hamas rather than ending the conflict.

While symbolic, U.N. recognition of Palestinian statehood cannot advance without U.S. backing. The Trump administration has made clear it is not pushing for Palestinian independence. Instead, it has barred Palestinian leaders from attending the assembly by denying them visas.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged Israel to negotiate directly, saying, “I call upon Israel to immediately sit on the negotiating table to put an end to this bloodshed.”

The U.S. State Department recently dismissed a U.N. conference on the two-state solution, and Trump himself has deferred on the issue, previously telling reporters in July, “I don’t know. I’d ask Bibi that question. You have the greatest man in the world to answer that age-old question, two-state.”