UN General Assembly adopts declaration on two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

(Patria) - The UN General Assembly today overwhelmingly adopted a declaration calling for "tangible, time-bound and irreversible steps" towards a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

The seven-page declaration is the result of an international conference on the decades-long conflict organised by Saudi Arabia and France at the UN in July. The US and Israel boycotted the event.

The resolution endorsing the declaration received 142 votes in favour and 10 against, with 12 countries abstaining.

#BREAKING
UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution endorsing the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution

Voting result
In favor: 142
Against: 10
Abstain: 12 pic.twitter.com/38ilC20OYL

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) September 12, 2025

The vote came ahead of a meeting of world leaders on September 22 - on the sidelines of the high-level UN General Assembly - where the UK, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium are expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state.

The declaration adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly condemns the attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.

It also condemns Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the siege and starvation, "which has resulted in a devastating humanitarian catastrophe."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the resolution ensures the international isolation of Hamas.

"For the first time today, the United Nations adopted a text condemning it for its crimes and calling for its surrender and disarmament," Barrot said in a post on X.

The resolution was supported by all Arab Gulf states. Israel and the US voted against it, along with Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Tonga, reports RSE.

From our region, Albania and North Macedonia abstained, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia voted in favour of the resolution.

The adopted declaration states that the war in the Gaza Strip "must end now" and supports the deployment of a temporary international stabilisation mission to be mandated by the UN Security Council.

The US described the vote as "yet another misguided and poorly timed publicity stunt" that undermined serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

- Make no mistake, this resolution is a gift to Hamas. Far from promoting peace, the conference has already prolonged the war, emboldened Hamas and harmed the prospects for peace both in the short and long term - US diplomat Morgan Ortagus said in the General Assembly.

Israel, which has long criticised the UN for not naming Hamas in its condemnation of the October 7 attacks, dismissed the declaration as one-sided and described the vote as theatre.

- The only winner is Hamas... When terrorists cheer, you are not advancing peace, you are advancing terror - said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.

Formally titled the "New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," the text states that "Hamas must release all hostages" and that the UN General Assembly condemns "the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians on October 7."

It also calls for "collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the two-state solution."

The declaration, earlier endorsed by the Arab League and signed by 17 UN member states in July, including several Arab countries, also goes beyond condemning Hamas, seeking to completely exclude it from leadership in Gaza.

"In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the goal of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state," the declaration adds.