World
India Votes In Favour Of UN Plan Backing Hamas Free Palestinian State
UNGA Hall
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday (12 September) adopted the “New York Declaration”, supporting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, but without the involvement of Hamas, which currently controls the Gaza strip, Hindustan Times reported.
India joined 141 other nations in supporting the resolution, while 10 opposed it and 12 abstained.
Both the United States and Israel voted against the declaration.
Israel denounced the outcome, calling the vote “disgraceful” and warning it would embolden Hamas to prolong the conflict in Gaza.
Officially titled the “New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,” the text was co-signed by 17 UN member states in July.
Aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Middle East after nearly two years of conflict since 7 October 2023, the declaration condemns Hamas and calls for the group to surrender its arms.
The vote comes ahead of the 22 September UN summit in New York, co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, where French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to formally recognise Palestine.
It denounces Hamas for the 7 October 2023 attack on Israeli civilians and hostage-taking, labels forced displacement of Palestinians a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” and criticises Israeli strikes on Gaza civilians.
The resolution demands Hamas free all Israeli hostages and urges Israel to withdraw its forces completely from Gaza.
“Gaza is an integral part of a Palestinian State and must be unified with the West Bank. There must be no occupation, siege, territorial reduction, or forced displacement,” the text reads.
To secure peace, the declaration asks Hamas to “end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority”.
