UN assembly votes overwhelmingly to back two-state solution to
Israel-Palestinian conflict
[September 13, 2025]
By EDITH M. LEDERER
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly
Friday to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian
conflict and urge Israel to commit to a Palestinian state, which Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently opposes.
The 193-member world body approved a nonbinding resolution endorsing the
“New York Declaration," which sets out a phased plan to end the nearly
80-year conflict. The vote was 142-10 with 12 abstentions.
Hours before the vote, Netanyahu said “there will be no Palestinian
state.” He spoke at the signing of an agreement to expand settlements
that will divide the West Bank, which the Palestinians insist must be
part of their state, saying, “This place belongs to us.”
The resolution was sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, who co-chaired
a high-level conference on implementing a two-state solution in late
July, where the declaration was approved.
The nearly two-year war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian
conflict are expected to be at the top of the agenda of world leaders at
their annual gathering at the General Assembly starting on Sept. 22. The
Palestinians say they hope at least 10 more countries will recognize the
state of Palestine, adding to the more than 145 countries that already
do.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said the support for the
resolution reflects "the yearning of almost everyone, the international
community, to open the door for the option of peace.”
Without naming Israel, he said, “We invite a party that is still pushing
the option of war and destruction, and attempts to eliminate the
Palestinian people and steal their land, to listen to the sound of
reason — to the sound of the logic of dealing with this issue
peacefully, and for the overwhelming message that has resonated in this
General Assembly today.”
But Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the resolution as
“theater,” saying the only beneficiary is Hamas.
“This one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward
peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly’s
credibility,” he said.
The United States, Israel’s closest ally, reiterated its opposition to
the New York Declaration and the General Assembly resolution endorsing
implementation of the two-state solution.
The resolution “is yet another misguided and ill-timed publicity stunt
that undermines serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,” U.S.
Mission counselor Morgan Ortagus said. “Make no mistake, this resolution
is a gift to Hamas."
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at United
Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The declaration condemns “the attacks committed by Hamas against
civilians” in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, a rare condemnation
by Arab nations of Hamas. The Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200
people, mainly Israeli civilians, and took about 250 hostage. Of
those, 48 are still being held, including about 20 who are believed
to be alive.
It also condemns Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian
infrastructure in Gaza and its “siege and starvation, which have
produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection
crisis.” Israel’s offensive against Hamas has killed over 64,000
Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t
distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The declaration envisions the Palestinian Authority governing and
controlling all Palestinian territory, with a transitional
administrative committee immediately established under its umbrella
after a ceasefire 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,” the
declaration says.
It also supports deployment of “a temporary international
stabilization mission” operating under U.N. auspices to protect
Palestinian civilians, support the transfer of security to the
Palestinian Authority and provide security guarantees for Palestine
and Israel — “including monitoring of the ceasefire and of a future
peace agreement.”
The declaration urges countries to recognize the state of Palestine,
calling this “an essential and indispensable component of the
achievement of the two-state solution.” Without naming Israel but
clearly referring to it, the document says “illegal unilateral
actions are posing an existential threat to the realization of the
independent state of Palestine.”
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