The UN assembly wants the creation of a Palestinian state

(Keystone-ATS) In a resolution adopted by 157 votes to 8, including those of the United States, Israel and Hungary, and 7 abstentions as part of the annual review of the Palestinian question, the assembly “reaffirms its unwavering support, in accordance with international law, 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 in “credible negotiations” for the peace process in the Middle East, the assembly decided to convene for the month of June in New York a “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 all measures taken on the ground which contravene international law”.

Occupied territories

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, be realized.”

Based on recent decisions by 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 of the Palestinian territories, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, to be occupied.

“The question of Palestine has been on the UN agenda since its inception and remains a critical test for its credibility and authority,” Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour commented before the vote.

It was a resolution of the General Assembly of 1947 which divided Palestine, then under British mandate, into two independent states, one Arab, the other Hebrew, 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.