In a resolution adopted Tuesday by 157 votes in favor, eight against (including the United States, Israel, Hungary) and seven abstentions as part of the annual review of the Palestinian question, the UN General Assembly “reaffirmed its unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for the settlement providing for two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, within borders recognized on the basis of those before 1967”.
Insisting on the need to engage “credible negotiations” for the peace process in the Middle East, the Assembly decided to convene a meeting in New York in June “high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-State solution”which will be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
Until then, the text calls on the parties to “act responsibly” in order to reverse “negative trends, including any measures taken on the ground that contravene international law”. More specifically, the Assembly once again demands that “the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, first and foremost the right to self-determination and the right to create an independent state, are realized”.
Based on recent decisions of the International Court of Justice, it also demands that Israel “end its illicit presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as soon as possible” and cease all colonization. The UN considers all Palestinian territories – West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza – to be occupied.
Despite its unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Israel is considered by international law to be the occupying power of this territory conquered during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. This is a resolution of the General Assembly of 1947 which divided Palestine, then under British mandate, into two independent states, one Arab, the other Jewish, and an international zone around Jerusalem. But only the creation of Israel was then proclaimed, on May 14, 1948, provoking a war between the new state and several Arab countries.
“The occupation must end”insisted the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, accusing the Israeli government of wanting “destroy and displace the population to annex the land”. “This condemns the Palestinian people, the Israeli people and our region to a succession of wars that can and must be prevented”he added.
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