The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to endorse the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In New York on Friday, 142 countries supported the resolution, known as the New York Declaration, while 10 opposed and 12 abstained. The declaration calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the exclusion of Hamas from any future Palestinian government.
Those voting against included the United States, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay. France and Saudi Arabia presented the resolution ahead of a UN summit on 22 September, where several leaders are expected to formally recognise Palestine.
The resolution outlines “tangible, timebound and irreversible steps” towards peace, including a temporary international mission to stabilise Gaza and the West Bank, security guarantees for both sides, and stronger Palestinian institutions. It also condemns the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and demands the group disarm and release all hostages.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the conflict as “at a breaking point” and welcomed the vote as a step towards reviving negotiations. Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh called it “an important step towards ending the occupation.”
Israel’s UN ambassador dismissed the resolution as a “prize for terror,” while the US mission argued it undermined diplomatic efforts and risked aiding Hamas.
The vote highlights growing global recognition of Palestinian statehood, already acknowledged by about three-quarters of UN members since 1988. France, the UK, Australia and Canada have indicated they may extend recognition by the end of September, depending on the progress of talks.
Though non-binding, the resolution increases pressure for renewed peace negotiations amid continuing violence in Gaza, where thousands of people have been killed since the latest escalation.
