Liberia Abstains on 2-State, Israel-Palestine Vote -Pundits Wonder If It’s ‘A Case of Mismatching Words with Actions’

MONROVIA – The United Nations General Assembly erupted in resounding applause on Friday, September 12, 2025, when 142 countries out of 193 UN member states voted in favor of the July 2025 New York Declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and implementation of the two-state solution with Israel. The voting results showed 142 states opting for a two-state solution, while 12 states abstained from voting, and 10 states voted against the two-state solution.

Astonishingly, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, whose country had just won a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, abstained from voting on the two-state solution. However, he would later deliver a stirring address on September 23, 2025, at the United Nations, reaffirming his country’s stance on the common Africa position for the realization of the two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security, in accordance with international law and relevant UN Resolutions.

Liberia’s abstention vote has left many wondering how a nation founded on the principles of liberation struggle would appear to pay lip service to a peaceful resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The New York Resolution entails a single roadmap to the perennial two-state solution, involving an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, release of all hostages held there, and the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. The roadmap also calls for the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance in Gaza, normalization between Israel and Arab countries, and collective security guarantees.

In his recent UNGA address, President Boakai drew similarities between Liberia’s struggle for rebirth and renewal after 14 years of civil war and the suffering of the Palestinian people. He reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful resolution of disputes, supporting all credible mediation efforts aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, many feel that Boakai’s UNGA speech was inconsistent with Liberia’s prior vote on the New York Resolution. Liberians have been sharing their opinions on what went wrong.

According to Sebastian Sambola, the Liberian government is dancing to the tune of vested superpowers to curry favors.

“This is nothing but power play. Boakai’s hands are tied. Maybe Ambassador Lewis Brown will take the diplomatic fallout from the Washington spoof again,” Mr. Sambola said.

Desmond Flomo described the decision to abstain from voting as hypocritical. “Can you imagine, while other Pan-African countries are voting in favor of a two-state solution, our country decided to remain silent. And we will forever remain silent when the issue of a Palestinian state is mentioned,” he said.

The high-level international conference in July was held against the backdrop of the war in Gaza and deteriorating prospects for the two-state solution.”