Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The Palestinian Authority has welcomed the United Nations General Assembly’s overwhelming adoption of a resolution backing the formal advancement of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, reaffirms international commitment to establishing a sovereign Palestinian state and lays out a political roadmap aimed at ending the decades-long conflict through peaceful means.
Adopted late Thursday at UN headquarters in New York, the resolution passed with 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. The measure endorses the so-called “New York Declaration,” which outlines a comprehensive framework for achieving a viable and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Palestinian Authority, through official channels and media outlets, praised the vote as a significant step toward the recognition of Palestinian statehood and a reaffirmation of international law and justice. Palestinian officials framed the resolution as a sign of growing global consensus and fatigue with the ongoing war in Gaza.
The resolution expresses the General Assembly’s deep appreciation to France and Saudi Arabia for their leadership in co-chairing a high-level international conference aimed at resolving the conflict and implementing the two-state solution. It also acknowledges the collaborative drafting process of the New York Declaration, which involved consultations with member states and working groups.
France’s UN Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, presenting the resolution on behalf of the co-sponsors, described it as “a singular roadmap for the two-state solution,” enabled by what he called “key commitments” from the Palestinian Authority and Arab states to secure peace and stability across the region.
The proposed roadmap calls for:
- An immediate ceasefire in Gaza,
- The release of all hostages,
- The establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state,
- The disarmament and political exclusion of Hamas in Gaza,
- The normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states,
- The implementation of collective security guarantees.
Israeli Opposition and Accusations of Bias
Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Danny Danon, fiercely criticized the resolution, calling it “one-sided” and incapable of bringing peace or stability to the region. In his remarks, he accused the UN of undermining its own credibility and labeled the vote “diplomatic theater.”
“This is not diplomacy it’s a performance,” Danon said, adding that the resolution unfairly singles out Israel while ignoring security realities on the ground.
Condemnation of Violence, Support for International Law
The New York Declaration underscores a shared commitment to ending the war in Gaza and achieving a just, lasting, and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state framework. It affirms the international community’s vision of a future in which Palestinians and Israelis live side-by-side in security, dignity, and mutual recognition.
The resolution strongly condemns all attacks against civilians, including acts of terrorism, indiscriminate violence, and provocations by all parties. It explicitly denounces the October 7 attacks by Hamas, as well as Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in large-scale civilian casualties, the destruction of infrastructure, and what the resolution terms “a devastating humanitarian catastrophe.”
It further emphasizes that the taking of hostages is prohibited under international law and firmly rejects any actions that lead to territorial or demographic changes, including the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, labeling such actions as grave breaches of international humanitarian law.
A Political Pathway Forward
The declaration stresses that war, occupation, terrorism, and forced displacement cannot deliver peace or security. It asserts that a political solution is the only viable path forward and calls for tangible, time-bound, and irreversible steps toward resolving the conflict.
It envisions the swift establishment of a sovereign, democratic, and economically sustainable Palestinian state, living peacefully alongside Israel. The declaration also highlights the importance of regional integration and mutual recognition to secure prosperity and long-term peace for all peoples of the region.
Signatories to the declaration committed to initiating concrete steps in the immediate future to bring this vision to life, and to support the rapid realization of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Global Implications
While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, the overwhelming vote reflects a growing international frustration with the status quo and the urgent need for a negotiated political solution. The resolution is likely to add diplomatic pressure on both Israel and Hamas, as well as on regional and global stakeholders, to recommit to a comprehensive peace process.
As Gaza remains mired in conflict and humanitarian disaster, the New York Declaration may signal a turning point or at least a renewed international push toward achieving the long-elusive goal of two states for two peoples.
