The United Nations General Assembly on Friday voted overwhelmingly in favor of a declaration that calls for “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward achieving a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The declaration, spanning seven pages, was the outcome of an international conference held in July at the UN, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France to address the decades-long conflict. Both the United States and Israel boycotted that event.
The resolution endorsing the declaration secured 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. It comes just days before a September 22 meeting of world leaders, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium are expected to officially recognize a Palestinian state.
The declaration strongly condemns the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, while also denouncing Israel’s subsequent strikes on civilians and infrastructure, as well as the siege and starvation that have brought about a severe humanitarian crisis.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot welcomed the resolution, saying it marked the international isolation of Hamas. He added that “for the first time, the United Nations has adopted a text condemning the group for its crimes and calling for its surrender and disarmament.
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