The Trump administration has officially boycotted a high-profile United Nations conference on Palestinian statehood, denouncing the event as a “publicity stunt” that undermines current efforts to end the Gaza war. The move marks a clear rejection of the UN’s latest two-state campaign and signals the White House’s growing frustration with global leaders it believes are rewarding terrorism over peace.

“This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Monday. She made clear that the U.S. would not participate in what she called a “stage-managed” spectacle hosted in New York by France and Saudi Arabia.

Instead, the administration insists it is focused on “serious diplomacy”—quiet negotiations aimed at ending hostilities in Gaza and establishing a long-term framework for peace. “Our focus remains on real-world efforts,” Bruce emphasized, “not appearances.”

The boycott comes just days after President Trump made headlines for acknowledging what he called “real starvation” among children in Gaza, pledging U.S. food aid and demanding an honest look at conditions on the ground. “That’s real starvation,” he told reporters. “You can’t fake that.”

Trump’s humanitarian remarks stood in stark contrast to the UN’s decision to move forward with its two-state conference, a gathering that featured Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa urging nations to “recognize the state of Palestine.” The Palestinian leader insisted that global recognition was the key to preserving peace.

But U.S. officials—and key Israeli leaders—strongly disagreed. Bruce took particular aim at French President Emmanuel Macron for promising to recognize Palestinian statehood in September. “This effort is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th and a reward for terrorism,” she said, referring to the deadly Hamas attacks that reignited the current conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sentiment. “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel—not to live in peace beside it,” he warned.

The conference, originally postponed due to Israel’s war with Iran, was billed as a step toward diplomatic progress. But critics say it’s doing the opposite. Bruce argued that such symbolic gestures embolden Hamas, obstruct ceasefire talks, and prolong the suffering of hostages and civilians alike.

French support for statehood recognition has also triggered a sharp reaction from Israel’s right. Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich thanked Macron sarcastically, calling his announcement “yet another compelling reason to finally apply Israeli sovereignty” over Judea and Samaria.

That sentiment is gaining momentum. Just last week, Israel’s Knesset voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution affirming its right to the entirety of what it calls the Land of Israel—including the Jordan Valley and all Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

More than half a million Israelis live in those disputed territories today, and Israeli leaders are increasingly framing the statehood debate not as a matter of negotiation, but as a defensive necessity.

The Trump administration’s firm rejection of the UN’s latest campaign now adds international weight to that stance. In boycotting the conference, Trump has not only questioned the UN’s relevance, but reasserted his belief that peace doesn’t come through applause lines—it comes through hard-nosed diplomacy and strategic leverage.

Whether the world listens remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Washington is no longer playing along with symbolic pageantry that masks deeper divides.