New York Declaration: What can the UN resolution on Palestine change?

A total of 142 countries in the UN General Assembly have to recognise a Palestinian state, but this resolution is different that its predecessors. The New York Declaration, presented by France and Saudi Arabia, has called for the dissolution of Hamas.

The resolution seeks to breathe new life into the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. It is formally called the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. 10 countries voted against it and 12 abstained their vote. The US, Israel and key allies were the obvious holdouts.

So, what's new about this UNGA resolution? Formally called the New York Declaration, the text states that "Hamas must free all hostages" and that the UN General Assembly condemns "the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians on the 7th of October." It also leaves no ambiguity on Hamas' role post its implementation -- if that happens at all.

The resolution seeks to fully exclude Hamas from leadership in Gaza and surrender all of its weapons with international oversight.

It also calls for "collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the Two-State solution."

"In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State," the declaration states.

The New York Declaration includes discussion of a "deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission" to the battered region under the mandate of the UN Security Council, aiming to support the Palestinian civilian population and facilitate security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority.

Around three-quarters of the 193 United Nations member states recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed in 1988 by the exiled Palestinian leadership.

However, after two years of war have ravaged the Gaza Strip, in addition to expanded Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the stated desire by Israeli officials to annex the territory, fears have been growing that the existence of an independent Palestinian state will soon become impossible.

"We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday.

Israel's rejection

It means that Israel may stick to its plan to take over Gaza, which was approved by PM Benjamin Netanyahu just last month. Since then, the offensive has exponentially ramped up.

Just a day after the UN resolution was adopted, at least 53 Palestinians were killed across the enclave. A total of 16 buildings were decimated, 3 of which are said to be residential towers.

Palestine's Health Ministry estimates that more than 64,000 have been killed since October 2023.