The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with 142 votes for, 10 against, and 12 absentees. The “New York Declaration” outlines a plan to end the nearly 80-year conflict, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, insisting, “There’s no Palestinian state.” The resolution, sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, is expected to be a key topic at the upcoming General Assembly meeting.
Palestinian UN ambassador Riyadh Mansour welcomed the resolution as a reflection of international support for peace, while Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon dismissed it as a “theater” benefiting Hamas. The U.S. also opposed the resolution, calling it a distraction from serious diplomatic efforts.
The declaration condemns violence from both sides, including Hamas’s attacks that killed around 1,200 Israeli civilians and Israeli strikes that resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. It proposes a transitional structure for governance of Palestinian territories post-conflict, urging Hamas to relinquish control and arms to Palestinian authorities. Additionally, it suggests deploying a temporary international mission to protect civilians and oversee security arrangements, while emphasizing the need for countries to recognize a Palestinian state as essential for achieving the two-state solution.
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