New York [US], September 12 : The UN General Assembly on Friday approved a resolution backing the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-State solution, with India among the 142 countries voting in support.
The resolution was backed by 142 countries, opposed by 10, while 12 abstained, according to the voting result displayed on the UN screen.
India's stance on the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a long-standing, consistent policy of supporting a negotiated settlement that establishes a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine living peacefully alongside a secure State of Israel within recognised borders.
Reflecting on the outcome, French President Emmanuel Macron, in a post on X, said, "Today, under the impetus of France and Saudi Arabia, 142 countries have adopted the New York Declaration on the implementation of the two-State solution. Together, we are charting an irreversible path toward peace in the Middle East."
https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1966518031078539554
He added that France, Saudi Arabia, and their partners will actively participate in the upcoming Conference on the two-state solution in New York. "France, Saudi Arabia, and all their partners will be in New York to bring this peace plan to fruition at the Conference on the two-State solution," Macron said.
Highlighting the vision for lasting peace, Macron further stated, "Another future is possible. Two peoples, two States: Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. It is up to all of us to make it happen!"
Underlining the next steps to solidify this momentum, Macron noted a few days ago that France and Saudi Arabia would co-chair a high-profile conference on the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in New York on September 22, aiming to garner broad international support for peace and security in the region.
In a statement posted on X, Macron also called on the US to reverse its decision to deny visas to Palestinian officials, describing the move as "unacceptable," while emphasising the importance of Palestinian representation in the conference in accordance with the Host Country Agreement.
"I just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Together, we will co-chair the Conference on the Two-State Solution in New York on September 22. The American decision not to grant visas to Palestinian officials is unacceptable. We call for this measure to be reversed and for Palestinian representation to be ensured in accordance with the Host Country Agreement. Our objective is clear: to rally the broadest possible international support for the Two-State Solution--the only way to meet the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians," the French President said.
Macron also outlined key priorities for the conference, including the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, large-scale humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, and the deployment of a stabilisation mission in the Gaza Strip.
He further stressed the need for long-term measures to ensure peace, including disarming Hamas and excluding it from Gaza's governance, reforming and strengthening the Palestinian Authority, and fully reconstructing the Gaza Strip.
"This will require the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and the deployment of a stabilisation mission in Gaza. We are also working to ensure that, the day after, Hamas is disarmed and excluded from any governance of Gaza, that the Palestinian Authority is reformed and strengthened, and that the Gaza Strip is fully reconstructed. No offensive, annexation attempt, or forced displacement of populations will derail the momentum we have created with the Crown Prince--momentum that many partners have already joined," he added.
The announcement came amid growing global concerns over the humanitarian crisis in the region, which had worsened following Israel's military expansion in the area.