UN General Assembly votes to back two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

The United Nations General Assembly overwhemingly backed a nonbinding solution on Friday supporting a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the idea of a Palestinian state.

Out of the 193-member world body, 142 countries voted in favour on the New York Declaration, 10 against and 12 abstained.

The resolution, presented by France and Saudi Arabia, envisions the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing and in control of all Palestinian territory, with a transitional administrative committee immediately established after a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the declaration says, adding that it must also free all hostages.

It also suggests the deployment of a UN-backed mission to protect Palestinian civilians and provide safety guarantees for both Palestinian and Israel civilians, support the peaceful transfer of governing to the PA and monitor the ceasefire and a future peace agreement.

The seven-page document condemns “the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians” in southern Israel on Oct 7 in 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed roughly 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 250 hostages. Of those, 50 are still being held, including about 20 who are believed to be alive.

It also condemns Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and its "siege and starvation, which has produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis." Following Oct 7, a subsequent Israeli offensive has to date killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry whose figure does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The figures are repeatedly cited by international institutions, such as the UN.

Large swathes of Gaza have been levelled and most of the territory's more than 2 million people have been displaced. The UN has declared famine is now occurring in the Gaza governorate, and expects it will expand to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis by the end of this month.

A Palestinian state as an 'essential and indispensable component' for two-state solution

Finally, the declaration calls on countries to recognise the state of Palestine, in what it calls an "essential and indispensable component" in achieving a two-state solution.

Without naming, but in clear reference to Israel, the document reads “illegal unilateral actions are posing an existential threat to the realisation of the independent state of Palestine.”

Earlier this month, Belgium announced it would join the United Kingdom and France in recognising a Palestinian state and the United Nations General Assembly annual gathering later this month. The Palestinians say they hope at least 10 more countries will recognise the state of Palestine, adding to the more than 145 countries that already do.

The Palestinian UN ambassador, Riyah Mansour, said the majority support for the resolution indicates "the yearning of almost everyone, the international community, to open the door for the option of peace.”

Without naming Israel, he said, “We invite a party that is still pushing the option of war and destruction, and attempts to eliminate the Palestinian people and steal their land, to listen to the sound of reason, to the sound of the logic of dealing with this issue peacefully, and for the overwhelming message that has resonated in this General Assembly today.”

Israel rejected the resolution on Friday, claiming it only benefits Hamas.

“This one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly’s credibility,” Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said.

During a visit to an Israeli settlement in the occupied-West Bank, PM Netanyahu confirmed he did not want a Palestinian state, "this place belongs to us," he stated.

Israel's closest ally, the United States, mirrored its opposition, with US Mission counselor Morgan Ortagus calling it a "misguided and ill-timed publicity stunt that undermines serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict."