UN General Assembly Endorses Two-State Solution With 142 Votes

The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly endorsed a declaration advocating for concrete, timebound steps toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The resolution, supported by 142 countries and opposed by 10 including the United States and Israel, condemns violence from both Hamas and Israeli military actions, calling for an immediate end to the Gaza conflict and the deployment of an international stabilization mission. The declaration, resulting from a conference hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, also demands Hamas free all hostages, end its rule in Gaza, and surrender weapons to the Palestinian Authority. Ahead of a summit on September 22, where several Western countries plan to recognize a Palestinian state, the resolution has heightened political pressure on Israel to cease hostilities and halt practices such as starvation and forced displacement. Palestinian authorities have welcomed the declaration as a key step toward peace, urging the international community to implement the plan and hold Israel accountable to end its occupation and aggression. The United States criticized the vote as undermining diplomatic efforts, reflecting ongoing international divisions over the path to resolving the conflict.