The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a resolution aimed at reviving the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, while explicitly excluding Hamas from any future political role.
On Friday, September 12, 142 member states voted in favor of the resolution, with 10 opposing—including Israel and the United States—and 12 abstaining. The resolution, formally titled The New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, condemns Hamas, demands the release of hostages, and calls for the group to disarm.
Jointly drafted by France and Saudi Arabia, the text states that “Hamas must free all hostages” and “end its rule in Gaza,” advocating for a transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority under international supervision. It also urges collective international action to end the war in Gaza and to establish “a just, peaceful, and lasting settlement” based on the two-state framework.
Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the vote, calling it a significant step toward ending the Israeli occupation and realizing an independent Palestinian state. In contrast, Israel strongly rejected the resolution. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein criticized the move, calling it evidence that the UN has become “a political circus detached from reality.”
The resolution comes ahead of a high-level summit on September 22 in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. French President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders are expected to formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the meeting.
Analysts suggest the resolution offers pro-Palestinian nations a diplomatic shield against accusations of supporting Hamas, while simultaneously increasing international pressure on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza.
The declaration also opens the door to a potential temporary UN-led international stabilization mission in Gaza aimed at supporting civilians and rebuilding institutions.
Although nearly three-quarters of UN member states already recognize Palestinian statehood, the long-standing conflict, ongoing Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, and repeated statements by Israeli leadership opposing a Palestinian state have raised doubts about the plan’s feasibility. Just one day before the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that “there will be no Palestinian state,” despite growing international support for renewed peace efforts.
