UN General Assembly Backs Creation of Two States for Israel and Palestine

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 12 September, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting the establishment of two states for Israel and Palestine.

The resolution was approved by 142 countries, including Uzbekistan; 10 countries voted against it, among them Israel and the United States, while 12 nations abstained. The resolution was presented at a conference in July with the backing of France and Saudi Arabia.

The declaration emphasizes that the creation of two states is “the only path to fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians.” It calls on Hamas to end its governance of the Gaza Strip and surrender weapons to the Palestinian Authority, and it demands that Israel immediately halt settlement construction and the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Ahead of the vote, Israel’s permanent representative to the UN, Danny Danon, described the resolution as “a theater benefiting only Hamas,” while the US representative said the document “will embolden Hamas and undermine prospects for peace.”

A high-level UN conference on achieving peace through the creation of two states is scheduled for 22 September. It is expected that several countries, including France, will announce recognition of the State of Palestine.