UN General Assembly to vote on resolution for Palestinian state
France and Saudi Arabia lead initiative as global push for two-state solution intensifies
NEW YORK, US (MNTV) — The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote Friday, today, on the “New York Declaration,” a resolution aimed at advancing a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine while excluding Hamas from any future role in Gaza.
The declaration, jointly presented by France and Saudi Arabia, marks the first time a UN text directly condemns Hamas for its October 7, 2023, demanding the release of all hostages and calling for an end to the resistance’s rule in Gaza.
It urges Hamas to disarm and transfer authority to the Palestinian Authority with international backing to pave the way for a sovereign Palestinian state.
Endorsed earlier by the Arab League and co-signed in July by 17 UN member states, the resolution also calls for “collective action to end the war in Gaza” and a “just, peaceful and lasting settlement” based on the two-state framework.
It further outlines plans for a temporary international stabilization mission under UN Security Council mandate to support civilians and assist the Palestinian Authority in taking over security responsibilities.
Richard Gowan, UN Director at the International Crisis Group, said the declaration gives pro-Palestinian states “a shield against Israeli criticism,” noting that Israel has long accused them of ignoring Hamas’s attacks.
Still, he acknowledged Israeli leaders are likely to dismiss the measure as “too little, too late.”
The vote comes ahead of a September 22 summit in New York, co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, where French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to formally recognize Palestinian statehood.
Several other world leaders are expected to announce similar steps of recognition of Palestinian state in a coordinated show of support.
Israel remains firmly stubborn, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring Thursday: “We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state.”
At the same time, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to be barred from attending the UN summit, after US officials indicated he would be denied a visa for the summit.
Currently, about three-quarters of UN member states recognize the Palestinian state declared in 1988.
But after two years of devastating war in Gaza, ongoing Israeli settlement expansion, and renewed annexation rhetoric from Israeli state and society, fears are mounting that the two-state vision may soon become unachievable.
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