On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly once again showed where its sympathies lie — and it isn’t with Israel, America, or basic common sense. In a lopsided vote, 142 countries supported a resolution to create a Palestinian state, on the hollow condition that Hamas step aside in Gaza. It’s a condition the UN has no ability — or intention — to enforce.
The so-called “New York Declaration” reads like a left-wing fantasy: calls for Palestinian democracy, elections within a year, and the release of hostages still held since Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack. These lofty promises mean little when the same Palestinian leadership has rejected negotiations, ignored international law, and continues to glorify terrorism. The UN essentially handed Hamas a free pass, dangling statehood with no accountability.
Israel and the United States stood nearly alone in opposition, joined by a small number of allies including Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Palau, Nauru, and Micronesia. Twelve other nations, unwilling to fully endorse the scheme, abstained. The overwhelming support for the measure underscores a troubling reality: the global diplomatic class prefers empty gestures to serious security concerns.
Adding insult to injury, the declaration’s timing is no coincidence. A separate meeting to declare a Palestinian state is already scheduled for September 22 — on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This symbolic provocation reveals just how little respect the UN has for Israel’s sovereignty or the Jewish people’s traditions.
The Biden administration, at least in this case, denied Palestinian leaders permission to travel to the U.S. for the occasion, pointing to existing peace agreements that clearly state Palestinian statehood can only come from direct negotiations with Israel. But that doesn’t change the larger picture: the UN is once again isolating Israel while giving cover to terrorists.
The message from this resolution is dangerous and clear — global elites are willing to reward bad behavior, pressure America’s closest ally in the Middle East, and embolden Hamas. For Israel, and for all who value real peace through strength, the stakes could not be higher.
