On Wednesday, United Nations members voted overwhelmingly to demand that Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territories within 12 months. The resolution passed in the UN General Assembly with 124 votes in favor. Fourteen countries, including the United States, Hungary, and Israel, voted against it, while 43 nations abstained.
This vote follows a ruling in July from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal and called for an end to the long-standing occupation of these areas claimed by Palestinians for a future state. The ICJ urged Israel to end its occupation “as rapidly as possible,” and the UN resolution sets a 12-month timeline for this.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, described the vote as a turning point “in our struggle for freedom and justice.” The resolution was introduced by Palestine, which gained new privileges in May, including the right to propose resolutions in the assembly.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, criticized the vote, calling it a “shameful decision” that supports what he termed “diplomatic terrorism” from the Palestinian Authority.
While both the ICJ’s advisory opinion and the UN resolution are not legally binding, they could further isolate Israel as global leaders prepare for the annual UN General Assembly meeting next week in New York. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas are expected to address world leaders on September 26.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the resolution, urging Israel to comply with the majority’s demand and the ICJ’s ruling. Amnesty International also supported the resolution, calling on Israel to follow it, noting that it confirms Israel’s legal obligation to end its unlawful occupation and discrimination against Palestinians.
In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights from neighboring Arab states and began establishing Jewish settlements in these areas. The Palestinians seek the West Bank and Gaza for a future state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, while Israel claims the whole of Jerusalem as its “eternal capital.”
