UN General Assembly Backs Two-State Plan for Israel, Palestine

News Desk

New York: The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, despite strong opposition from Israel and the United States.

The “New York Declaration,” jointly introduced by France and Saudi Arabia, was adopted with 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions.

The resolution outlines “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. It calls for collective action to end the war in Gaza and lay the groundwork for a just and lasting peace.

Key Demands

The text sets out specific conditions, including the release of all hostages by Hamas, an end to the group’s rule in Gaza, and the handover of its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.

Progress, it says, must align with the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the initiative, praising Saudi and French efforts to present an “actionable plan” and urging mechanisms to end Israeli occupation and secure Palestinian rights.

Israel Rejects Resolution

Israel denounced the vote as “disgraceful.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein accused the General Assembly of becoming “a political circus detached from reality,” criticizing the resolution for failing to designate Hamas as a “terrorist organization.”

The rejection came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that a Palestinian state would “never” be established and approved further settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

The UN vote coincided with escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Israel has launched multiple strikes in recent days on targets in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, and Qatar, alongside continued bombardments in Gaza and the West Bank.

Observers warn that Israel’s expanding military campaign risks undermining international efforts to revive peace talks.