The Question of Palestine and the General Assembly

Empty GA Hall

A general view of the General Assembly Hall. UN Photo/Sophia Paris

The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations, composed of representatives of all Member States.  The question of Palestine was first brought before the General Assembly in 1947. By resolution 181 (II), the Assembly decided to partition Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish, with Jerusalem placed under a special international regime. After the 1948 war, the Assembly by resolution 194 (III) of 1949 established the Conciliation Commission for Palestine (UNCCP) to help the parties reach a final settlement, while reaffirming the rights of Palestine refugees to return and restitution. UNRWA, a Palestine refugee agency, was established by the Assembly the same year.

In 1974, the question of Palestine was re-introduced in the Assembly’s agenda. Resolution 3236 (XXIX) reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty, and the right of the Palestinians to return to their homes and property. In 1975, the Assembly established the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The question of Palestine and related issues have been the subject of numerous resolutions and decisions adopted by the Assembly’s regular, special and emergency sessions.

On 29 November 2012 the Assembly granted Palestine non-member observer State status in the UN. The relevant issues on the agenda of the Assembly and its subsidiary organs, such as the Human Rights Council include the right of Palestinians to self-determination, their sovereignty over natural resources, assistance, refugees, IDPs, UNRWA, human rights, Israeli settlements, peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, and Jerusalem, among others. In 2024 the Assembly demanded that Israel end its occupation in 12 month.

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GA’s Resolutions on Question of Palestine

Date Title Subject Symbol
09-Dec-1982 Israeli practices – SpCttee report – GA resolutions Agenda Item, Golan Heights, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Jerusalem, Land, Settlements, Social issues A/RES/37/88(A-G)
Sources:

General Assembly, Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices

Type

Multimedia, Resolution

09-Dec-1982 Israeli nuclear armament – GA resolution Arms control and regional security issues A/RES/37/82
Sources:

General Assembly, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Type

Resolution

03-Dec-1982 Right of peoples to self-determination – GA resolution Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Incidents, Self-determination A/RES/37/43
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

24-Sep-1982 Palestine question/Massacre of Palestinians in Beirut – GA emergency session – Resolution Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Incidents, Palestine question A/RES/ES-7/9
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session

Type

Resolution

19-Aug-1982 International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression: General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/ES-7/8) Casualties, Children, Incidents, Protection, Refugee camps, Refugees and displaced persons, Security issues, Situation in Lebanon, Violence A/RES/ES-7/8
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session

Type

General Assembly resolution, Resolution

19-Aug-1982 Palestine question – GA emergency session – Resolution Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Incidents, Palestine question A/RES/ES-7/6
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Type

Resolution

19-Aug-1982 International Conference on the Question of Palestine – GA emergency session – GA resolution Middle East situation, Palestine question, Peace conference, Peace proposals and efforts A/RES/ES-7/7
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)(See also - Committee on Palestine), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Type

Resolution

19-Aug-1982 Int’l Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression – GA resolution Children, Refugees and displaced persons, Situation in Lebanon A/RES/ES-7/8
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session

Type

Resolution

26-Jun-1982 Palestine question/Situation in Lebanon – GA emergency session – GA resolution Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Incidents, Palestine question, Refugees and displaced persons A/RES/ES-7/5
Sources:

General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session

Type

Resolution

28-Apr-1982 Palestine question/Jerusalem/Dismissal of elected Palestinians – GA emergency session – GA resolution Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Electoral issues, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Incidents, Jerusalem, Palestine question, Situation in the OPT including Jerusalem A/RES/ES-7/4
Sources:

Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), General Assembly, General Assembly 7th Emergency Special Session

Type

Resolution

Showing 10 documents of 915 found.