General Assembly2023-04-20T16:38:35-04:00

The Question of Palestine and the General Assembly

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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.

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GA’s Resolutions on Question of Palestine

Date Title Subject Symbol
15-Dec-1980 Palestine question/CEIRPP/DPR/ Inalienable rights in Palestine/ Israel’s “basic law” on Jerusalem censured/ SecCo measures under Chapter VII – GA resolutions Agenda Item, Chapter VII of UN Charter, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, International presence, Jerusalem, PLO/Palestine, Palestine question, Protection, Refugees and displaced persons, Right of return A/RES/35/169(A-E)
Sources:

Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), Division for Palestinian Rights (DPR), General Assembly, United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine (UNCCP)

Type

Resolution

12-Dec-1980 Israeli nuclear armament – GA resolution Arms control and regional security issues A/RES/35/157
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

12-Dec-1980 Nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Mideast – GA resolution Arms control and regional security issues A/RES/35/147
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

11-Dec-1980 Israeli practices – SpCttee report – GA resolutions Agenda Item, Armed conflict, Demographic issues, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Incidents, Population, Settlements, Social issues A/RES/35/122(A-F)
Sources:

General Assembly, Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices

Type

Resolution

05-Dec-1980 Living conditions of the Palestinian people – GA resolution Economic issues, Social issues A/RES/35/75
Sources:

General Assembly, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS - Habitat)

Type

Resolution

05-Dec-1980 Assistance to the Palestinian people – GA resolution Assistance A/RES/35/111
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

05-Dec-1980 Assistance for the reconstruction & development of Lebanon – GA resolution Economic issues, Social issues A/RES/35/85
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

05-Dec-1980 Sovereignty over national resources in the OT – GA resolution Economic issues, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Natural resources A/RES/35/110
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

01-Dec-1980 UNDOF/Financing – GA resolution Peacekeeping A/RES/35/45 (A+B)
Sources:

General Assembly, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

Type

Resolution

14-Nov-1980 Right of peoples to self-determination – GA resolution Agenda Item, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Palestine question, Settlements A/RES/35/35
Sources:

General Assembly

Type

Resolution

Showing 10 documents of 890 found.

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