UN General Assembly to vote on Palestinian state excluding Hamas from power

The United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to vote on Friday on the “New York Declaration”, a resolution designed to reinvigorate the two-state solution between 'Israel' and Palestine, explicitly excluding Hamas from any leadership role.

Presented jointly by France and Saudi Arabia, the declaration, formally titled New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, unequivocally condemns the October 7, 2023, operation by Hamas. The text calls for Hamas to release all captives and urges the international community to take collective action to end the war in Gaza, aiming for a “just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the Two-State solution.”

The resolution has already gained backing from the Arab League and 17 UN member states, including several Arab countries. Beyond condemning Hamas, the declaration seeks to remove the group from control in Gaza.

“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,” it states.

The vote precedes a UN summit co-chaired by Paris and Riyadh on September 22, where French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to formally recognize the Palestinian state.

“The fact that the General Assembly is finally backing a text that condemns Hamas directly is significant,” said Richard Gowan, UN Director at the International Crisis Group. “Now at least states supporting the Palestinians can rebuff Israeli accusations that they implicitly condone Hamas. It offers a shield against Israeli criticism.”

Other world leaders have also indicated plans to formally recognize the Palestinian state during the summit, a move seen as increasing international pressure on 'Israel' to end hostilities in Gaza.

The New York Declaration further proposes a “temporary international stabilization mission” under the UN Security Council, tasked with supporting Palestinian civilians and facilitating security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority.

Currently, roughly three-quarters of the 193 UN member states recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed in 1988. However, two years of conflict in Gaza, ongoing 'Israeli' settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Israeli officials’ stated intentions to annex territory have raised fears about the future viability of an independent Palestinian state.

“We are going to fulfill our promise that there will be no Palestinian state,” 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday.