Sri Lanka has welcomed the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) of the resolution endorsing the New York Declaration on the peaceful settlement of the Question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism expressed its appreciation to Saudi Arabia and France for their leadership in advancing the initiative and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s unwavering support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to statehood, in line with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.
The UNGA overwhelmingly endorsed the declaration on Friday, which outlines “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards achieving a two-state solution ahead of a world leaders’ meeting on 22 September. The declaration emerged from an international conference hosted by Saudi Arabia and France in July.
A total of 142 countries voted in favour, 10 opposed, and 12 abstained. The resolution condemns the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel, as well as Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including siege and starvation that have resulted in what the declaration calls a “devastating humanitarian catastrophe.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the resolution marked the first time the UN explicitly condemned Hamas, calling for its surrender and disarmament. The measure was supported by all Gulf Arab states, while Israel, the United States, and eight other countries voted against it.
The resolution also calls for the immediate end of the war in Gaza and the deployment of a temporary international stabilisation mission mandated by the UN Security Council.
