Document at UN conference on two-state solution calls on Hamas to disarm
The conference in New York was aimed at advancing steps toward a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The New York Declaration was released on Tuesday by France and Saudi Arabia, co-chairs of the meeting attended by more than 100 countries.
The outcome document says a two-state solution is "the only way to satisfy the legitimate aspirations, in accordance with international law, of both Israelis and Palestinians."
It says the Gaza Strip must be unified with the West Bank, and urges Hamas to end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
The document also calls on Israel's leaders to "immediately halt all settlement, land grabs and annexation activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem."
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the document guarantees "peace and security for all." He called for support for the text ahead of a new session of the UN General Assembly in September.
With Israel and the United States absent from the conference, it is unclear how much support the document will draw.
Japan's Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace Uemura Tsukasa spoke at the conference on Tuesday. The special representative of the Japanese government said that taking into account the outcomes of the meeting, Japan will "continue a comprehensive assessment of the issue of recognizing Palestinian statehood, including the appropriate timing."
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