Global Majority Endorses Path to Peace, Rejects Hamas Role
In a significant diplomatic move, the United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly in favor of the New York Declaration—a resolution calling for the creation of a Palestinian state, explicitly excluding Hamas from any future governing role.
The resolution received 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. Among those opposing were Israel and the United States. The declaration condemns the October 7, 2023 attacks attributed to Hamas, demands the group release all hostages, and insists it must hand over control of Gaza—including its weapons—to the Palestinian Authority with international support.
The document outlines a renewed push for a “just, peaceful and lasting settlement” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the implementation of the two-state solution. It also highlights the urgency of ending the war in Gaza and supports collective international action to facilitate stability in the region.
Summit Ahead as Calls for Palestinian Statehood Grow Louder
This resolution comes ahead of a high-level UN summit scheduled for September 22, where multiple world leaders are expected to formally announce their recognition of a Palestinian state.
The declaration also proposes deploying a temporary international stabilisation mission in Gaza under the UN Security Council’s mandate to assist the civilian population and oversee security transition to the Palestinian Authority.
The measure has been widely seen as a response to rising concerns that the two-state solution is becoming increasingly difficult to implement due to ongoing conflict, expanded Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and political instability in Gaza.
While Israel dismissed the resolution as insufficient and accused the UN of delayed action, proponents argue it marks a shift in global consensus. The resolution enables states that support Palestinian rights to distance themselves from Hamas’s actions while reaffirming support for Palestinian sovereignty.
