(United Nations) The UN General Assembly will vote on Wednesday on a resolution demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories within “12 months”, a text whose probable adoption is already being castigated by Israel.
The draft resolution, which has been debated since Tuesday by the 193 member states of the UN, follows the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which in July, examining the Israeli occupation since 1967 at the request of the General Assembly, had considered that “the continued presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful” and that Israel is “under the obligation [d’y] to end […] as soon as possible “.
The non-binding text, which is to be put to a vote at 11 a.m. ET, “demands” that Israel “end without delay its illicit presence” in the Palestinian territories and that this be done “no later than 12 months after the adoption of this resolution.” The first draft text gave only six months.
It also “demands” the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territories, the cessation of new settlements, the restitution of seized land and property, and the possibility of the return of displaced Palestinians.
The draft resolution also calls on member states to take steps to halt imports from settlements and the supply of weapons to Israel if there are “reasonable” grounds to believe they could be used in the Palestinian territories. It also calls on them to impose sanctions against those involved in “maintaining Israel’s illicit presence” in the occupied territories.
“Inhumanity”
Speaking at the Assembly on Tuesday, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour called on member states to “choose the right side of history” by supporting the resolution, the first to be presented on behalf of the newly won observer state of Palestine.
“How many more Palestinians must be killed before change finally comes to stop this inhumanity?” he asked, days before the annual high-level meeting of the General Assembly where the war in Gaza is expected to dominate discussions among dozens of heads of state and government expected.
While the Security Council is largely paralyzed on this issue due to the repeated use by the United States of its veto to protect its Israeli ally, the General Assembly regularly gives its support to the Palestinians.
In May, the assembly gave massive but symbolic support (143 votes in favor, nine against, 25 abstentions) for full Palestinian membership in the UN, blocked by the United States. Although General Assembly resolutions are not binding, Israel has castigated the new draft resolution.
“Those who contribute to this circus are not just spectators,” but “collaborators. Every vote in support of this circus fuels violence and emboldens those who reject peace,” said Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon, calling the Palestinian move “diplomatic terrorism.”
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield also denounced the “inflammatory language” of a text that does not say that “Hamas, a terrorist organization, has power in Gaza,” a “one-sided resolution” that does not advance the two-state solution.
The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, of unprecedented scale and violence, resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
The Israeli retaliation in Gaza has caused a humanitarian disaster and left more than 41,000 people dead, according to the Hamas government’s health ministry in Gaza.