The UN General Assembly adopted this Wednesday by majority a resolution to demand an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories from Israel, by a majority of 124 votes for and only 14 against, but this time with many abstentions (43). The resolution “calls on Israel to end its illegal presence” in Palestine within 12 months.
A two-thirds majority was required to support this resolution which is not bindinglike all those of the Assembly, and has a somewhat historic character since it was presented for the first time by the State of Palestine, which although it does not have the status of a full state, has acquired certain powers in recent months.
While Muslim and African countries voted almost overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution, here again, the The European Union showed its disunity with favorable votes (including Spain and France).), against (Hungary and the Czech Republic) and many abstentions (Germany, Italy, Holland, Sweden and Poland).
Israel and the United States have once again exposed theiryour strong alliance in these considered votes Critics of the Jewish state, as well as Argentina, Paraguay and several Pacific island nations that always vote with the United States, stood by him.
Israel given 12 months to end occupation
This new resolution this Thursday”calls on Israel to immediately end its illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territoriesincluding East Jerusalem (…) and to do so no later than twelve months after the adoption of this resolution”, although Assembly resolutions are not binding.
The text also demands that Israel return land confiscated from the Palestinians and allow the return of displaced persons. across the colonies and carry out repairs the victims, and also calls on the international community not to recognise the territorial, legal or demographic consequences of the occupation of Palestinian lands.
But the language of the resolution, this time very harsh towards Israel, has not convinced important countries like Canada, Australia, India, Switzerlandor many Europeans who chose to abstain. Consequently, the approved resolution obtained less consensus than the one that was voted on last May in the same Assembly in favour of the full membership of the Palestinian State in the UN: then 143 countries supported it and only nine voted against.
UN seeks agreement between Israel and Palestine
Introducing the resolution, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riad Mansour said: “No occupying power should violate our rights inalienable. Justice is the only path to peace. “Respect international law and do not sacrifice it for cold political calculations.”
Immediately afterwards, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon spoke, calling this historic moment for Palestine in multilateralism a “circus where terror is applauded.” “Whoever votes for it will be collaborating with violence and incurring an insult to the very functioning of this institution (…) They are trying to isolate and destroy Israel, this resolution delays the hope for peace in the region,” Danon said.
For her part, the American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, maintained her rejection of ““unilateral resolutions” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because they are not “realistic”, since, according to him, “peace will only come through negotiation between the two parties” in the face of a two-state solution.
This is the path that the United States has been trying to implement for months, without success, by means of a prior ceasefire, while This number now stands at more than 41,000. Gazans have died since October 7, according to the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry.
