India votes for UN General Assembly resolution backing two-state solution to resolve Palestine issue

The two-state solution is a proposed way to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. 

Introduced by France, the resolution was backed by 142 countries while opposed by 10. Twelve countries were absentees.

The United States, Israel, Argentina and Hungary were among the countries that have opposed the two-state solution.

The resolution is formally called the “Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.”

What does the declaration call for?

• Establishment of a sovereign, viable Palestinian state.
• An immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
• Release of all hostages
• Disarmament of Hamas, and exclusion of Hamas from governance in Gaza.
• Normalization/regularization of ties between Israel and Arab states, regional integration.
• Security guarantees for both Israelis and Palestinians.     

Core idea of two-state solution

• Create two independent states side by side:

1. Israel – the existing state.
2. Palestine – a new state, mainly in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem often envisioned as its capital.