Gaza after the UN General Assembly: what future for Palestine?

At the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held in New York last week, at least 77 delegations withdrew as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to give his speech. The strike was a protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza since October 2023. Countries remaining in the room, including China and some members of the European Union, should not necessarily be interpreted as supporting Israel’s actions.

The strike on Thursday 24 September highlighted Israel’s growing international isolation and drew attention to the devastation in Gaza, where the death toll rose to 73,928, with 175,030 injured. Thousands more are missing and presumed dead. Israel has also destroyed around 90% of the territory’s civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at around $70 billion.

For these actions, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November 2024 against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

We agree with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who, before Netanyahu’s visit, described him as a “war criminal” and an “architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinians.” The US government under President Donald Trump, Israel’s main international supporter and arms supplier, nevertheless continued to support Netanyahu despite the ICC mandate.

Netanyahu’s presence at the United Nations, the strike that preceded his speech and the protests by Americans against his government’s policies raise an urgent question: what will be the future of Gaza after the UNGA? Much of what needs to be done is already known; what is missing is the political will to act. We share the sentiments expressed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his September 24 speech to the United Nations General Assembly. Denied a US visa and forced to address the assembly via pre-recorded video from Ramallah, Abbas warned of a grave threat to Palestinian existence and urged the world to prevent “another Nakba.” He argued that developments in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem are part of a broader effort to displace Palestinians from their lands. He also asked how long countries will remain silent or continue to supply weapons to Israel. Abbas welcomed President Trump’s 20-point peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, although neither has produced significant progress on the ground.

The next phase must, therefore, focus on ending Israeli military aggression, reunifying Gaza and the West Bank under a single Palestinian government, and blocking settlement projects that undermine the prospect of a Palestinian state.

We at Blueprint believe that the long-discussed two-state solution remains the most viable framework for resolving the conflict. At least 160 countries have recognized Palestine; the remaining countries should do the same and support full UN membership. As Abbas rightly noted, however, maintaining the two-state solution begins with protecting Palestinian land and its people.

The United States and other supporters of Israel should recognize that continued belligerence cannot produce lasting peace. Netanyahu’s policies are increasingly damaging Israel’s international standing, including the United States. Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro recently described the decline of Israel’s standing in America as “unprecedented” and questioned Netanyahu’s role in any solution to the Gaza crisis.

Continued US support for Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank risks further weakening the two-state solution. The most important outcome of the 81st UN General Assembly, therefore, should be a renewed commitment by the international community to enforce UN resolutions on Palestine, protect Palestinian civilians, and curb policies that perpetuate conflict.