The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote Friday on a controversial proposal to declare a Palestinian state that is “independent, sovereign and democratic,” even as Hamas continues to wage war.
The so-called “New York Declaration” would recognize a Palestinian state, even though Palestinians have made no commitment to democracy, have refused to negotiate key issues with Israel, and still hold hostages in flagrant violation of international law.
The text of the declaration reads like a wish list: a democratic state, elections within a year, and the release of hostages — as if Hamas would agree to these terms.
The declaration also asserts that the Palestinian state would include the West Bank and Gaza — bypassing negotiations with Israel — and leaves the key issues of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees unresolved.
The text also equates the Hamas terror attack of October 7, 2023, with supposed “attacks by Israel against civilians in Gaza.” Israel does not target civilians; Hamas deliberately places military infrastructure in schools and hospitals to maximize civilian casualties, as well as to maximize international criticism of Israel.
Several western states — including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia — have committed to joining the New York Declaration.
President Donald Trump has rejected the idea of declaring a Palestinian state unilaterally as a “reward for Hamas.” His administration has denied visas to Palestinian officials to attend United Nations proceedings.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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