September 13, 2025

On a busy day at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, India made a powerful move! On September 12, 2025, India voted in favor of a major resolution supporting the ‘New York Declaration’ aimed at ending the long-standing Palestine issue peacefully. This resolution was brought forward by France and adopted with an overwhelming majority — 142 countries said yes, while 10 nations, like the United States, Israel, Argentina, and Hungary, said no. There were 12 abstentions. The resolution, officially named ‘Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,’ rings loud and clear. It calls for collective action to stop the war in Gaza and find a just, peaceful, and lasting solution allowing both Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side. But what’s the declaration really saying? It urges Israel to make a clear promise for a two-state solution, including a sovereign and viable Palestinian state. It demands an immediate halt to violence against Palestinians, stoppage of land grabs and settlement expansions in occupied territories like East Jerusalem, and a public renouncement of any plans for annexation. The declaration insists on ending settlers’ violence as well. Riyad H. Mansour, the Palestinian Permanent Observer to the United Nations, addressed the assembly after the vote, underscoring the urgency of peace. The declaration also strongly supports the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. It warns, "Recent developments have highlighted, once again, and more than ever, the terrifying human toll and the grave implications for regional and international peace and security of the persistence of the Middle East conflict." “Absent decisive measures towards the two-state solution and robust international guarantees, the conflict will deepen and regional peace will remain elusive,” the declaration adds. The war in Gaza must end now, it stresses. It also says Gaza is part of a Palestinian State and should be united with the West Bank without any occupation, blockade, or forced displacement. India’s vote in favor reflects its commitment to peaceful diplomacy and to being part of the global chorus calling for justice and peace in one of the world’s toughest conflicts.

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Tags: Un general assembly, Palestine, Two-state solution, India vote, New york declaration, Israel-palestine conflict,