JERUSALEM – The United Nations General Assembly on Friday approved a resolution endorsing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, explicitly excluding Hamas from any governing role in Gaza. The resolution passed with 142 votes in favor, 10 against, including Israel and the United States, and 12 abstentions.
Known as the New York Declaration, the seven-page document lays out concrete, time-sensitive steps toward establishing a sovereign Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel. It demands that Hamas immediately release all hostages, cease its governance in Gaza, and surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority under international supervision.
The resolution also calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the deployment of a UN-backed mission to protect civilians on both sides. It stresses coordinated efforts to end the ongoing conflict and restore prospects for a lasting peace grounded in the two-state framework.
The resolution spearheaded by France and Saudi Arabia follows their international conference in July, focused on renewing peace efforts. Palestinian officials welcomed the initiative as an actionable strategy toward ending the Israeli occupation and realizing the Palestinians’ legitimate rights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently rejected the resolution, reiterating โthere will be no Palestinian stateโ during a ceremony marking expanded West Bank settlement construction, which Palestinians argue obstructs statehood.
Israelโs Foreign Ministry labeled the UN declaration โdisgracefulโ and criticized it on social media for failing to designate Hamas a terrorist organization, which Israel and its allies, including the US and EU, firmly classify it as. Israeli officials warned the resolution could embolden Hamas to perpetuate violence rather than advance peace.
The vote precedes a UN General Assembly summit on September 22 in New York, where major world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, are expected to officially recognize Palestinian statehood, increasing pressure on Israel amid the protracted conflict ignited by Hamasโs attacks in October 2023.
While the resolution is non-binding, it signals significant international concern over the conflictโs stalemate and a collective push to exclude Hamas from governance, holding it accountable for violence and hostilities. The international communityโs position marks a firm stance supporting Israelโs security concerns alongside Palestinian self-determination through democratic leadership.
This article is based on verified information from multiple reliable sources, including the United Nations and authoritative news agencies.