New York City – The ongoing conflict in Gaza and the broader Palestinian issue dominated discussions at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held in New York last week.
Throughout speeches, Security Council sessions, side events, and press briefings, numerous nations-from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to France and Malaysia-urged an immediate halt to Israeli actions in Gaza and advocated for the formal establishment of a Palestinian state.
Despite widespread international support for Palestine during the initial days of the UNGA, Israeli forces continued their offensive, resulting in the deaths of at least 661 Palestinians in Gaza and an intensified ground operation in Gaza City.
Experts and diplomats emphasize that declarations and diplomatic recognitions alone, including the acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood, fall short of altering realities on the ground or alleviating the hardships faced by Palestinians living under siege and occupation.
Human rights organizations are calling for stringent measures such as arms embargoes and sanctions against Israel to compel an end to its violations.
Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, executive secretary of the Hague Group-a coalition advocating for such sanctions-highlighted that the crisis worsens as Israel continues to receive military supplies and financial support.
“The financial and military infrastructure fueling this campaign of destruction remains intact. Israel’s access to weaponry persists,” Gandikota-Nellutla told Al Jazeera.
Recognition of Palestine
During the UNGA, a summit convened dozens of countries to promote the two-state solution, with several Western nations, including Australia, France, and the United Kingdom, officially recognizing Palestine as a state.
Meanwhile, outside the UN headquarters, demonstrators expressed outrage over the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, banging pots to draw attention to the widespread hunger.
Maamoun Hussein, a protester, described the increasing international recognition of Palestine as a hopeful sign but stressed that it must be accompanied by concrete actions to hold Israel accountable.
“This recognition reflects the resilience of Palestinians enduring over seven decades of systematic oppression and displacement,” Hussein told Al Jazeera. “However, these nations possess the power to enforce an arms embargo and exert pressure on Israel. Instead, the entire Arab world and beyond face risks as international laws are being reshaped to favor a state committing acts of terror and ethnic cleansing.”
In addition to its operations in Gaza and the West Bank, Israel has reportedly conducted military actions against Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Qatar in recent months. It is also suspected of targeting a humanitarian vessel destined for Gaza while docked in Tunisia.
Gandikota-Nellutla emphasized that while recognizing Palestinian self-determination is crucial, it is insufficient without decisive measures.
“There is a danger that countries will consider recognition as the endpoint, congratulating themselves before moving on, without severing the supply chains that sustain this ongoing atrocity,” she warned.
At a Security Council session addressing the crisis, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf cautioned that global peace hinges on the international community’s ability to restrain Israel and support the creation of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders.
“It is undeniable that Gaza is enduring a full-scale campaign of extermination,” Attaf stated, referencing a recent UN Commission of Inquiry report that accused Israel of genocide.
“Progress Remains Elusive”
The following day, representatives from various nations gathered to renew their commitment to safeguarding Palestinian children, with approximately 20,000 having lost their lives in Israeli strikes in Gaza since October 2023.
“This tragedy is not predestined; it results from deliberate decisions and inaction-and those choices can be reversed,” remarked Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot during the event.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, Brazil, Jordan, and Spain, alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres, spearheaded efforts to mobilize political and financial backing for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which Israel has unilaterally barred.
When asked about the tangible impact of diplomatic initiatives in New York on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini expressed cautious skepticism.
“There has been a lot of acknowledgment mixed with outrage, but little beyond that,” Lazzarini said.
“The critical question is how these expressions of concern will translate into effective influence that changes conditions on the ground. We have not reached that point yet,” he added.
Lazzarini attributed the dire situation in Gaza to the persistent impunity enjoyed by Israel, suggesting that Palestinian lives are undervalued on the global stage.
On Friday, over 50 countries staged a walkout from the UNGA hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-who faces war crime charges from the International Criminal Court-addressed the assembly.
Simultaneously, delegates from 34 nations convened as part of the Hague Group to explore strategies to halt the violence in Gaza, including proposals for an energy embargo on Israel and blocking Israeli arms shipments through their ports.
The coalition includes countries from four continents, such as Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Iceland, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, Spain, and Qatar.
For Gandikota-Nellutla, the path to ending Israel’s unchecked actions lies in unified global pressure.
“Our goal is to expand this coalition until it encompasses the entire world-until every supply route delivering weapons to Israel is cut off, rendering Netanyahu and his government powerless,” she told Al Jazeera.
