General Assembly adopts eight resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian issue – Press release (excerpts)

9 DECEMBER 2015

GA/11737

General Assembly Adopts 28 Fourth Committee Texts Covering Issues Including Decolonization, Outer Space, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Seventieth Session, 70th Meeting (AM)

Two Actions Postponed until Later Date, as Plenary Acts Directly on Three Drafts

Upon the recommendation of its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), the General Assembly adopted 25 draft resolutions and three draft decisions today, tackling issues ranging from decolonization issues to outer space activities, to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and beyond.

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On Israeli-Palestinian issues, the Assembly adopted nine draft resolutions, all requiring recorded votes.  The first, “Assistance to Palestine refugees”, was adopted by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 11 abstentions.  By its terms, the Assembly expressed grave concern about the especially difficult situation of Palestine refugees under occupation, including with regard to their safety, well-being and socioeconomic living conditions.  It also affirmed the necessity for continuing the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the importance of ensuring that its operations and provision of services were unimpeded.

The Assembly adopted a draft resolution on “Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities” by a recorded vote of 164 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Liberia, Paraguay).  By that text, the Assembly stressed the necessity for an accelerated return of displaced persons.  It also called for compliance with the mechanism agreed by the parties — in article XII of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements of 13 September 1993 — on the return of displaced persons.

By a recorded 169 votes in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Nauru, Paraguay, Vanuatu), the Assembly adopted a draft resolution on “Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East”.  By that text, it expressed deep concern over the Agency’s extremely critical financial situation, and emphasized the imperative of ensuring sustained and predictable financial support for it, including by providing the necessary resources to enable it to continue to deliver its vital services uninterrupted.

The Assembly also adopted — by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Paraguay, Vanuatu) — a draft resolution on “Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues”.  By its terms, the Assembly reaffirmed that Palestine refugees were entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity with the principles of equity and justice.

By a recorded vote of 92 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 75 abstentions, the Assembly also adopted a draft resolution on the “Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories”.  By its terms, the Assembly expressed grave concern about the continuing detrimental impact of ongoing unlawful Israeli practices and measures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, such as excessive use of force by Israeli occupying troops against Palestinian civilians, as well as tensions, instability and violence due to Israel’s illegal policies and practices.

Also adopted — by a recorded 163 votes in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu) — was a draft titled “Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories”.  In line with that text, the Assembly reaffirmed the Geneva Convention’s applicability, and further demanded that Israel accept the Convention’s de jure applicability in those territories.

The Assembly adopted — by a recorded vote of 161 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Honduras, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu) — a draft titled “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan”, by which it condemned Israel’s continuing settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as violations of international humanitarian law, relevant United Nations resolutions, agreements reached between the parties and obligations under the Roadmap of the Middle East Quartet.

In another recorded vote — 158 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Liberia, Malawi, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu) — the Assembly adopted a draft resolution on “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”.  It urged all parties to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, especially in areas of religious and cultural sensitivity, including East Jerusalem.

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Background

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The Assembly was also expected to take up the reports of its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on the University for Peace (document A/70/492); assistance in mine action (document A/70/493); effects of atomic radiation (document A/70/494); international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space (document A/70/495); United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (document A/70/496); report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/70/497); comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (document A/70/498); and comprehensive review of special political missions (document A/70/499).

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Action on Draft Resolutions

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Turning to a raft of draft resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian issues, the Assembly first adopted, by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 11 abstentions, a draft resolution titled “Assistance to Palestine refugees” (document A/70/496 I, L.15).  By its terms, the Assembly expressed grave concern about the especially difficult situation of Palestine refugees under occupation, including with regard to their safety, well-being and socioeconomic living conditions.  It affirmed the necessity for the continuation of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the importance of its unimpeded operations and the provision of its services.

The Assembly then adopted a draft resolution titled “Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities” (document A/70/496 II, L.16) by a recorded vote of 164 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Liberia, Paraguay).

Taking up the draft resolution “Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East” (document A/70/496 III, L.17), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 169 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Nauru, Paraguay, Vanuatu).

The Assembly then adopted a related draft resolution, “Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues” (document A/70/496 IV, L.18), by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Paraguay, Vanuatu).  By its terms, the Assembly reaffirmed that Palestine refugees were entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity with the principles of equity and justice.

By a recorded vote of 92 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 75 abstentions, the Assembly adopted a draft titled “Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories” (document A/70/497 I, L.19).  By its terms, the Assembly expressed grave concern about the continuing detrimental impact of ongoing unlawful Israeli practices and measures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, such as excessive use of force by Israeli occupying troops against Palestinian civilians, as well as tensions, instability and violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, due to Israel’s illegal policies and practices.

The Assembly then took up a draft resolution on “Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories” (document A/70/497 II, L.20).  It adopted that text by a recorded vote of 163 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu).

Next, the Assembly adopted, by a recorded vote of 161 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Honduras, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu), a draft resolution on “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan” (document A/70/497 III, L.21).  The Assembly expressed grave concern about continuing settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, on the part of Israel, the occupying Power.  It condemned those activities as violations of international humanitarian law, relevant United Nations resolutions, agreements between the parties, and obligations under the Middle East Quartet’s Roadmap, and as actions in defiance of calls by the international community to cease all settlement activities.

By a recorded vote of 158 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Liberia, Malawi, Paraguay, Togo, Vanuatu), the Assembly adopted a draft resolution on “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” (document  A/70/497 IV, L.22).  By its terms, the Assembly urged all parties to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, especially in areas of religious and cultural sensitivity, including East Jerusalem.  It further urged the parties to take every possible step to defuse tensions and promote conditions conducive to the credibility and success of peace negotiations.

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For information media. Not an official record.

http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/ga11737.doc.htm