U.N. Adopts Decision Demanding Israel Urgently Finish Occupation Of Palestinian Land

The United Nations overwhelmingly handed a decision on Wednesday demanding that Israel urgently finish its unlawful occupation of Palestinian land, a vote that comes simply weeks earlier than Israel’s navy offensive that has brought on a devastating humanitarian disaster in Gaza reaches one yr.

Out of the U.N. Basic Meeting’s 193 member states, 124 of them voted in favor of the decision introduced by the Palestinian mission to the world physique. Fourteen states voted towards the decision ― together with Israel’s closest ally and first weapons provider, the US ― whereas 43 states abstained. There are not any vetoes within the Basic Meeting, in contrast to the 15-member Safety Council.

“Please stand on the right side of history, with international law, with freedom, with peace,” Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour, who launched the decision, advised the physique on Tuesday. “The alternative is what you witness every day on your TV screens. And what the Palestinian people are enduring in their flesh. A different reality is possible. It starts now, and here. Free Palestine.”

The nonbinding decision calls for that Israel “brings an end without delay its unlawful presence” of occupied Palestinian territories like Gaza, the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem. The Israeli authorities should finish its unlawful occupation by withdrawing all of its forces and evacuating its settlers from Palestinian land throughout the subsequent 12 months, in line with the draft.

As well as, the decision requires Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians for harm accrued by its occupation, and urges member states to impose sanctions on these liable for sustaining Israel’s presence within the territories, and halt weapons transfers to Israel.

“This is a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, mentioned following the vote ― accusing the Basic Meeting and the Palestinian Authority of being sympathetic to Hamas, whose militants killed about 1,200 folks and captured tons of in Israel practically one yr in the past.

Since then, the Israeli navy has killed greater than 41,000 folks in Gaza and rendered the territory nearly unlivable. Assist teams say the collapse of vital meals and medical infrastructure has brought on a humanitarian disaster, whereas a number of U.N. member states and human rights consultants have described Israel’s ongoing violence as genocidal.

The decision was drawn from a July advisory opinion by the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice that mentioned Israel’s decades-long presence within the Palestinian territories is illegitimate and should urgently come to a halt. In line with the courtroom, Israel violated worldwide legislation by capturing Palestinian land by power throughout the 1967 battle, giving it no proper to sovereignty over the territories.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield mentioned that she voted towards the “one-sided” decision as a result of it didn’t acknowledge Hamas as a terrorist group and “will not bring about tangible progress for Palestinians.” The U.S. has unconditionally provided Israel with weapons and has condemned efforts by the worldwide neighborhood to carry the Israeli authorities accountable.

Palestine is taken into account a “Permanent Observer State” after the U.N. rejected its request to change into a member state in 2011. Having Everlasting Observer standing permits Palestine to nonetheless take part in U.N. proceedings ― aside from voting on draft resolutions and selections in our bodies just like the Safety Council, Basic Meeting and the six essential committees.

In April, Palestine renewed its request to change into a member state by sending a letter to Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres, who forwarded it to the Safety Council. The next month, the Basic Meeting handed a decision that upgrades Palestine’s observer rights on the physique, permitting the state to submit and introduce proposals, make statements on behalf of a gaggle, totally take part in U.N. conferences, and elect delegates of the State of Palestine as officers within the plenary and the principle committees of the Basic Meeting.

Mansour mentioned that peace within the area can solely be potential if there’s a simply, two-state answer to the long-debated Israeli-Palestinian battle, primarily based on the 1967 borders. And that such an answer can’t be reached if states imagine “this is not the right time for such action,” he mentioned.

“I stand on this podium, at this historic and tragic juncture, to tell the Palestinian people that a change is going to come, that their fate is not endless suffering and agony, that freedom is their birthright and their destiny,” Mansour advised the Basic Meeting. “We are not a people too many. We are not a problem. We are a nation that asks for nothing more than your nations, but can accept nothing less.”