UN Demands Gaza Ceasefire and Palestinian Statehood

Representational imgae

Web desk

Published on Sep 13, 2025, 02:55 PM | 3 min read

Geneva: On September 12, 2025, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution—with 142 votes in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions—demanding an immediate end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and calling for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. The 193-member General Assembly endorsed the “New York Declaration,” which outlines a phased plan to resolve what many have described as a nearly 80-year system of apartheid.

The resolution, presented by France and Saudi Arabia, calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the peaceful transfer of control from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority. It demands that Israel halt settlement activity, stop settler violence, and engage in genuine negotiations based on the internationally recognized pre-1967 borders.

The nearly two-year genocidal war on Gaza, is expected to be the main agenda as world leaders gather for the annual UN General Assembly beginning on September 22. Palestinian representatives say they hope at least 10 additional countries will recognize the State of Palestine, adding to the more than 145 nations that already have.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said the support for the resolution reflects “the yearning of almost everyone, the international community, to open the door for the option of peace.” Also he added, “We invite a party that is still pushing the option of war and destruction, and attempts to eliminate the Palestinian people and steal their land, to listen to the sound of reason — to the sound of the logic of dealing with this issue peacefully, and for the overwhelming message that has resonated in this General Assembly today.”

But Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, dismissed the resolution as “theater,” saying the only beneficiary is Hamas.

“This one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly’s credibility,” he said.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, reiterated its opposition to the New York Declaration and to the General Assembly resolution endorsing the implementation of the two-state solution.

Since the war erupted in Gaza this October, over 66,700 Palestinians have been killed—more than 70% of them civilians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble. Medical facilities have been deliberately targeted, cutting off vital care to those injured. Electricity, clean water, and food supplies have been blocked by the Israeli siege.

In the occupied West Bank, Israel continues its aggressive settlement expansion, now home to over 700,000 settlers, illegal under international law. These settlements carve up Palestinian land, restrict movement, and impose harsh military rule over millions. Checkpoints and roadblocks fragment Palestinian communities, destroying any hope of normal life.

Despite this, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly declared just one day before the vote that “there will never be a Palestinian state.” His statement brutally exposes Israel’s true intentions, the permanent denial of Palestinian self-determination.

While this resolution is non-binding, it is expected to strengthen international resolve. It lays the groundwork for further pressure on Israel, including sanctions and accountability measures.