UN General Assembly Calls for Israel to End Occupation in Pivotal Resolution.
West Bank:
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution urging Israel to end its “unlawful presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, reflecting the positions of nearly two-thirds of its 193 member states. This decision follows nearly a year of intensified conflict, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2022, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, over 41,000 people have reportedly died in Gaza, according to Hamas-run health authorities, while violence has surged in the West Bank, with the UN reporting more than 680 Palestinian and 22 Israeli deaths.
The resolution builds on an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that Israel’s presence in the occupied territories is unlawful and called for the evacuation of settlers. Israel’s Prime Minister dismissed the ICJ’s findings as “a decision of lies,” asserting that the Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land.
The resolution demands Israel comply with international law within 12 months. The Palestinian Authority hailed the vote as a historic moment for the Palestinian cause, while Israel condemned it as disconnected from reality and harmful to peace efforts.
The United States voted against the resolution, labeling it one-sided, while the UK abstained, citing a lack of clarity on advancing a negotiated two-state solution.
