Approval of the "New York Declaration" at the UN regarding the "Establishment of a Palestinian State without Hamas"
The United Nations adopted a statement titled the "New York Declaration" regarding the "establishment of a Palestinian state without Hamas."
The New York Declaration and the resolution on the establishment of a Palestinian state without Hamas were adopted with the overwhelming support of the UN General Assembly.
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a historic resolution, known as the “New York Declaration,” paving the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state without Hamas. The resolution was adopted in New York on Friday, September 12, with 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions.
The seven-page document, the result of an international conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France in July, emphasizes a two-state solution. The resolution states in part: “Hamas must cease its rule of the Gaza Strip and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with the support and cooperation of the international community, with the aim of establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.”
The statement condemned the October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages in Gaza. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrow described the resolution as an international isolation of Hamas. French President Emmanuel Macron also said after the vote: “Together, we are charting an irreversible path towards peace.”
In addition to emphasizing the demilitarization of Gaza, the resolution proposes the establishment of a temporary international mission with the participation of countries from the Arab world and Europe. This mission is intended to establish stability in the region and, after the war stops, transfer security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority.
Elsewhere, the statement condemned Israel's attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure in Gaza, stressing that these actions have led to a siege, famine and a serious humanitarian catastrophe among civilians.
A summit of world leaders is also scheduled for September 22. It will be chaired by Emmanuel Macron, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely to speak virtually. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend via videoconference due to a US visa ban.
Meanwhile, several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Portugal and Malta, are also planning to follow France in recognizing the state of Palestine. Others, such as Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, are still considering the issue.
Despite widespread global support, the United States and Israel have expressed strong opposition. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Israel to underscore Washington's anti-Palestinian stance. Israel has also threatened to annex parts of the West Bank and even limit diplomatic relations with France.
However, analysts believe that the adoption of the "New York Declaration" is an important step in isolating Israel and legitimizing the two-state solution.
