The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) delivered a resounding vote in favor of a two-state framework for Israel and Palestine on Friday, 12 September, deepening international pressure on Israel. The vote came as Israeli forces intensified their campaign in Gaza, with the latest strike hitting two UN schools and killing 23 people. By a margin of 142 votes to 10, with 12 abstentions, the Assembly adopted what has been called the New York Declaration, a resolution drafted by France and Saudi Arabia that lays out a series of concrete and time-bound steps intended to revive long-stalled efforts toward a Palestinian state. The measure passed less than a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed there would “never” be Palestinian sovereignty. The United States joined Israel in opposing the motion. The seven-page text urged an immediate end to hostilities in Gaza, a return to negotiations, and the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. It also calls on Hamas to release remaining hostages, relinquish its rule in Gaza, and hand over weapons to the Palestinian Authority, positioning the latter as the legitimate authority of a future state. The Palestinian Ministry…
