On Friday, September 12th, the UN General Assembly approved a declaration detailing ”tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” aimed at advancing a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
The resolution—the result of a July international conference hosted by Saudi Arabia and France—condemns Hamas for the October 7th, 2023, attacks on Israel that killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages, and also led to the outbreak of war in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the resolution as securing the international isolation of Hamas, noting it is the first UN text explicitly condemning the group for its crimes and calling for its disarmament.
“For the first time today, the United Nations adopted a text condemning it for its crimes and calling for its surrender and disarmament,” he posted on X.
The vote passed with 142 in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. Israel and the United States were among the few nations voting against it.
The United States criticized the vote, calling it “yet another misguided and ill-timed publicity stunt” that undermined serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Israeli officials warned it ultimately benefits Hamas rather than advancing peace.
“The only beneficiary is Hamas … When terrorists are the ones cheering, you are not advancing peace; you are advancing terror,” said Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon.
The General Assembly’s declaration calls for an immediate end to hostilities in Gaza and supports deploying a temporary international stabilization mission under a UN Security Council mandate.
The resolution precedes a September 22nd meeting of world leaders, during which Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
