The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on Wednesday demanding Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months, escalating international pressure on Israel to withdraw from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
The resolution, drafted by the Palestinian Authority, was adopted with 124 votes in favour, while 43 countries abstained, and 14, including Israel and the United States, voted against.
The resolution was introduced following an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July, which stated that Israel’s occupation and settlement activities in Palestinian territories were illegal under international law. The General Assembly’s motion goes a step further, by setting a 12-month deadline for Israel’s withdrawal, though the resolution is not legally binding.
Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour called on member states to support the resolution, urging them to “stand on the right side of history”. “With international law. With freedom. With peace,” he told the assembly. The Palestinian Authority has ramped up its diplomatic efforts since gaining additional privileges at the UN, including the right to propose draft resolutions.
The US opposed the resolution, claiming that such unilateral actions undermine the possibility of a two-state solution. US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, urged countries to vote against the motion, citing concerns over the impact on the peace process and Israel’s security. “This resolution does nothing to bring us closer to peace,” she claimed.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon condemned the resolution, calling it “diplomatic terrorism” and accusing the General Assembly of using diplomatic tools to further isolate Israel rather than promote dialogue. Danon criticised the UN for failing to address attacks by Palestinian militants and for ignoring the broader context of the conflict.
Israel captured the territories in the 1967 Middle East war, and its continued settlement expansion in the West Bank has long been a point of contention. The resolution calls on UN member states to cease the import of products originating from Israeli settlements and halt the transfer of arms to Israel where there are suspicions they could be used in the occupied territories.
The vote comes days before world leaders are set to gather in New York for the annual UN summit, where both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to address the General Assembly on 26 September.
