UN General Assembly Overwhelmingly Backs Two-State Solution in Landmark Vote

The United Nations General Assembly has voted by an overwhelming majority in favor of a resolution supporting a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, a move hailed by Palestinian officials as a major diplomatic victory.

The resolution, which outlines “concrete, time-bound and irreversible steps” toward achieving the two-state framework, received 142 votes in favor, with 10 countries opposed and 12 abstentions.

The text condemned Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, including strikes on civilian infrastructure and the ongoing blockade, while also denouncing Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assaults. It declared that the war in Gaza “must end now,” underscoring the urgency of halting hostilities on both sides.

The seven-page resolution is built upon the “New York Declaration,” the outcome of an international conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France at the UN in July. The declaration sets out a roadmap for peace and will be further debated during the annual UN General Assembly high-level week, beginning September 23.

A follow-up Franco-Saudi conference is scheduled for September 22 on the sidelines of the Assembly, where the list of states formally recognizing Palestine will be finalized.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the outcome, calling it a “unified and historic vote” that transforms the New York Declaration into an official UN document. In a statement on X, the ministry expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia and France for their leadership and to the member states that backed the resolution.

“The next step,” the statement added, “is ensuring the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate rights, including ending Israel’s colonial occupation, stopping aggression and forced displacement, and securing the release of prisoners and hostages.”

The resolution marks the first adopted by the General Assembly in its 80th session. France has already pledged to recognize the State of Palestine during the current UN meetings, with President Emmanuel Macron confirming the decision in July. Since then, more than a dozen Western countries have indicated they will follow suit.

With Riyadh and Paris spearheading the diplomatic drive, momentum appears to be building for what many observers describe as the most unified global push in years to advance a negotiated two-state solution to the decades-long conflict.