Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the New York Declaration, which calls for a two-state solution and a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The resolution, co-sponsored by Saudi Arabia and France, passed with overwhelming support with 142 countries voting in favor.
“This resolution, and the overwhelming majority from 142 nations, confirms the international consensus on moving forward toward a peaceful future in which the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate right to establish an independent state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
The declaration also condemned Hamas and its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, urged the group to relinquish control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority, hand over its weapons, and release all hostages.
Israel claimed the UN General Assembly vote was “disgraceful,” and said it “utterly rejects” the declaration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as recently as this week, pledged that there would never be a Palestinian state. Some of Netanyahu’s most ardent supporters have grown increasingly frustrated with his approach to the Gaza war. This recently culminated in the Israeli attack inside Qatar, a major non-NATO ally of Washington, targeting Hamas officials.
US President Donald Trump voiced anger over the Qatar operation, saying he was not notified beforehand.