Key Points
- UNGA adopts New York Declaration on Palestine, 142 states back two-state push
- Resolution urges Israel to halt aggression, end displacement and free detainees
- Palestinian officials hail vote as major diplomatic victory
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly endorsed the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, in a vote that saw 142 countries in favour, 10 against and 12 abstentions.
The declaration, first unveiled at a high-level international conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France in New York this July, sets out political, legal, economic and security tracks toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state. UN documents describe it as a roadmap aimed at achieving “tangible, time-bound, irreversible steps” toward the two-state solution.
Palestinian officials hailed the UNGA adoption as a major diplomatic gain. The Palestinian news agency WAFA quoted authorities as saying the broad international support elevates the declaration to an official UN document and represents “a key outcome of the July conference.”
The resolution urges Israel to halt military operations in Palestinian territories, cease forced displacement, release all hostages and detainees, and end what it describes as the use of starvation as a weapon of war. It further calls on Israel, as the occupying power, to comply fully with international law and humanitarian obligations.
Diplomats noted that the declaration has drawn wide endorsement at the UN, though it remains non-binding. Analysts cautioned that its impact will depend on whether member states push for enforcement or follow-up mechanisms to ensure Israel and other parties adhere to its provisions.
The vote underscores growing pressure within the international community to move beyond statements of concern toward actionable steps on the long-stalled two-state framework, even as doubts linger over political will on the ground.
