Lapid noted in a post on his official ‘X’ page that this proposal comes following what he described as a ‘painful blow’ to the Abraham Accords, with the majority of Israel’s allied countries voting in favor of establishment. The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Friday in favor of a declaration calling for ‘concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps’ toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, ahead of the annual summit of world leaders in New York.
The resolution received support from 142 countries, opposed by 10, with 12 abstentions, including condemnation of Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Gaza, the blockade and starvation, as well as condemnation of Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, while emphasizing the necessity to end the war immediately.
The 7-page declaration resulted from an international conference hosted last July to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with the recognition of a Palestinian state topping the agenda. The list of countries supporting recognition is set to be finalized during a French-Saudi conference on September 22, on the sidelines of the General Assembly meetings, where leaders will officially announce their countries’ positions during the general debate sessions between September 23 and 29.
Saudi Arabia and France chaired the conference, which began last June, amidst widespread international consensus on a fair settlement of the Palestinian issue and rejection of ‘Gaza starvation’ policies. The United Nations also adopted an oral decision in the name of Riyadh and Paris, mandating the resumption of the high-level international conference on peaceful settlement and the two-state solution by consensus without the need for a vote.
