UNGA Adopts Draft Resolution Demanding End to Zionist Illegal Presence in Palestinian Territories

NEW YORK – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution formally demanding an end to Zionist’s illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The UNGA overwhelmingly voted for the draft resolution, which formally demands an end to the Zionist occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months. It is based on the ICJ’s advisory opinion, which found that Zionist’s decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories was “unlawful”, and that its “near-complete separation” of people in the occupied West Bank breached international laws concerning “racial segregation” and “apartheid”, and grounded in international law.

A total of 124 states voted in favor of the draft resolution, 43 others abstained, and 14 others voted against it.

On Tuesday, the State of Palestine submitted the draft resolution to the UNGA as a follow-up on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on the Zionist occupation of the Palestinian territories during the 10th special emergency session of the UNGA in New York.

The draft resolution was supported by a number of states, including Jordan, Bahrain, Turkey, Algeria, Djibouti, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Mauritania.

According to the United Nation, by the terms of the text (document A/ES-10/L.31/Rev.1), the Assembly demands that the Zionist entity end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory no later than 12 months from the adoption of the resolution and cease immediately all new settler-colonialist activity and evacuate all colonists from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  Further, the UNGA demand Zionist entity return land seized since its occupation started in 1967 and allow Palestinians displaced to return to homes.

The UNGA also demand that the Zionist entity comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the International Court of Justice.  It calls on States not to recognize as legal the unlawful Zionist presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by the Zionist entity.

The resolution demands that the Zionist “comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the International Court of Justice, by, inter alia: (a) Withdrawing all its military forces from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including its airspace and maritime; (b) Putting an end to its unlawful policies and practices, including ceasing immediately all new settlement activity, evacuating all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory and dismantling the parts of the wall constructed by the Zionist entity that are situated in the Territory, and repealing all legislation and measures creating or maintaining the unlawful situation, including those which discriminate against the Palestinian people, as well as all measures aimed at modifying the demographic composition, character and status of any parts of the Territory, including all measures violating the historic status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem.”

It also demands the Zionist entity to do so by “(c) Returning the land and other immovable property, as well as all assets seized from any natural or legal person since its occupation started in 1967, and all cultural property and assets taken from Palestinians and Palestinian institutions; (d) Allowing all Palestinians displaced during the occupation to return to their original place of residence; (e)  Making reparation for the damage caused to all the natural and legal persons concerned in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; (f) Immediately complying with obligations under international law indicated in the respective provisional measures orders of the International Court of Justice in the case concerning the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide7 (South Africa v. Israel) in relation to the right of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip to be protected from all acts within the scope of articles II and III of the Convention;

and (g) Not impeding the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to an independent and sovereign State, over the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

It “Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the General Assembly within three months on the implementation of the present resolution, including any actions taken by the Zionist entity, other States and international organizations, including the United Nations.”

It calls “for the convening of a Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war on measures to enforce the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.”