The United Nations General Assembly has delivered one of its strongest political messages in years on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, adopting a resolution that calls for Israel’s complete withdrawal from all Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. The resolution, backed by an overwhelming 151 member states, reaffirms what it describes as the “inalienable rights” of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination, the establishment of an independent state, and a just resolution of the long-contested refugee issue.
Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, the scale of the vote has drawn widespread international attention. Only 11 countries voted against the measure, among them Israel and the United States, while 11 others abstained. A detailed roll-call has not yet been published by the UN, but early diplomatic reporting suggests most “no” votes came from states traditionally aligned with Israel in geopolitical or security frameworks. The abstaining bloc appears to be a mix of Western, Asian, and Pacific states that often tread cautiously on Israel–Palestine resolutions, though again the official list remains unavailable.
The resolution’s substance goes further than the symbolic language often seen in previous UN debates. It demands Israel “end its unlawful presence” in the occupied territories, halt all settlement activity immediately, and evacuate settlers from Palestinian land, echoing findings from the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice which held that Israel’s occupation violates international law. It also rejects any attempts to alter the demographic or territorial status of Jerusalem, making clear that unilateral changes will not be recognised by the international community. For many member states, this language reflects mounting frustration after decades of stalled negotiations, recurring violence, and deepening humanitarian crises in Gaza and the West Bank.
Palestinian authorities hailed the vote as a declaration of renewed international consensus around their national aspirations. Diplomats supporting the resolution argued that an overwhelming majority of UN members continue to uphold the principles of a two-state solution rooted in pre-1967 borders. Several states framed the vote as part of a broader effort to restore international law’s relevance at a moment when global conflicts—from Ukraine to the Red Sea—have tested the credibility of multilateral institutions.
