UNITED NATIONS (AP) \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
The 193-member world body approved a nonbinding resolution endorsing the \u201cNew York Declaration,\u201d<\/a> which sets out a phased plan to end the nearly 80-year conflict. The vote was 142-10 with 12 abstentions.<\/p>\n Hours before the vote, Netanyahu said \u201cthere will be no Palestinian state.\u201d He spoke at the signing of an agreement<\/a> to expand settlements that will divide the West Bank, which the Palestinians insist must be part of their state, saying, \u201cThis place belongs to us.\u201d<\/p>\n The resolution was sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia,<\/a> who co-chaired a high-level conference on implementing a two-state solution in late July, where the declaration was approved. <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said the support for the resolution reflects \u201cthe yearning of almost everyone, the international community, to open the door for the option of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n Without naming Israel, he said, \u201cWe 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 \u2014 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.\u201d<\/p>\n But Israel\u2019s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the resolution as \u201ctheater,\u201d saying the only beneficiary is Hamas.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly\u2019s credibility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The United States, Israel\u2019s closest ally, reiterated its opposition to the New York Declaration and the General Assembly resolution endorsing implementation of the two-state solution.<\/p>\n The resolution \u201cis yet another misguided and ill-timed publicity stunt that undermines serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,\u201d U.S. Mission counselor Morgan Ortagus said. \u201cMake no mistake, this resolution is a gift to Hamas.\u201d<\/p>\n The declaration condemns \u201cthe attacks committed by Hamas against civilians\u201d 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.<\/p>\n It also condemns Israel\u2019s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and its \u201csiege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe<\/a> and protection crisis.\u201d Israel\u2019s offensive against Hamas has killed over 64,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn\u2019t distinguish between civilians and combatants.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,\u201d the declaration says.<\/p>\n It also supports deployment of \u201ca temporary international stabilization mission\u201d 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 \u2014 \u201cincluding monitoring of the ceasefire and of a future peace agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n