UN Security Council Vote On The US Gaza Resolution: A Deeply Concerning And Risky Development For Palestinian Rights

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand expresses deep concern regarding the UN Security Council’s vote on the United States–backed resolution endorsing President Trump’s proposed “Gaza Plan.” While framed as a pathway toward stability, the resolution in its current form poses significant risks to Palestinian sovereignty, self-determination, and long-term justice.

Despite global recognition of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, this resolution fails to address core political realities and instead reinforces structures that have historically undermined Palestinian rights.

1. Foreign Control Over Gaza’s Future

The proposed international “stabilisation force” and the external governance body, termed the “Board of Peace,” effectively place Gaza under foreign administration. Such an arrangement sidelines Palestinian leadership, weakens national institutions, and risks entrenching a system where Palestinians have limited control over their own land and political destiny.

This approach repeats the mistakes of past interventions that imposed solutions rather than empowering the people most affected.

2. Forced Demilitarisation Without Addressing Root Causes

The resolution’s emphasis on “decommissioning weapons” and destroying Palestinian resistance infrastructure ignores the fundamental issue: Palestinians live under occupation and systematic oppression. Attempting to enforce demilitarisation without ending occupation or addressing ongoing Israeli violations creates an imbalanced and unjust framework.

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Such measures risk criminalising legitimate resistance while offering no guarantees for Palestinian security or protection.

3. Undermining Genuine Self-Determination

Although the resolution mentions a “pathway to Palestinian self-determination,” its conditional and externally dictated nature raises serious doubts. A true political solution must be built on free, inclusive Palestinian participation—not imposed benchmarks tied to foreign interests.

The language of statehood in the resolution is symbolic at best and misleading at worst, given that the mechanisms proposed actively limit Palestinian political agency.

4. Exclusion of Palestinian Voices

Key Palestinian political actors, civil society organisations, and humanitarian bodies were not consulted in crafting this plan. Palestinian perspectives are central to any viable, just outcome, yet the resolution treats the people of Gaza as passive recipients rather than equal partners.

A plan that excludes Palestinians from decision-making cannot produce lasting peace or justice.

5. Political Motivations and Regional Consequences

The plan has already generated divisions among global powers and within Israel itself. Becoming entangled in these political agendas risks further destabilising Gaza and prolonging suffering. A resolution built on geopolitical convenience instead of international law and human rights cannot foster genuine peace.

Our Position

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand asserts that:

• Solutions for Gaza must be grounded in international law, Palestinian sovereignty, and the right to self-determination.
• Reconstruction and governance must empower Palestinian institutions, not bypass or replace them.
• Security arrangements must protect Palestinian civilians, not entrench foreign control or occupation.
• A just peace can only emerge through addressing root causes: occupation, blockade, displacement, and systematic violations of Palestinian rights.

We call on the New Zealand Government, civil society, and international partners to approach this resolution with caution, uphold principles of justice, and ensure that any framework for Gaza respects the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people.

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