Third Committee Approves Draft Resolution on the Right of Palestinian People to Self-determination – Press Release (GA/SHC/4370) (Excerpts)

GA/SHC/4370
17 NOVEMBER 2022

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The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved 12 draft resolutions as it concluded its work today, including texts addressing the right of peoples to self-determination, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance, and the world drug problem.

A draft on the right of Palestinian people to self-determination was approved in a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 5 against (Nauru, Marshall Islands, United States, Israel, Micronesia), with 7 abstentions (Cameroon, Kiribati, Guatemala, Palau, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Togo).

By its terms, the Assembly would stress the urgency of ending the Israeli occupation and a lasting peace settlement between the two sides.  It would also underscore the need to respect the territorial integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and urge States to assist the Palestinian people in the realization of their right to self-determination.

Addressing the draft, the observer for the State of Palestine said that Israel’s occupation severely impedes the Palestinian people’s exercise of the  right to self-determination.  She highlighted human rights violations in her territory, including forcible displacement of Palestinians, arbitrary arrests, property confiscations, annexation of Jerusalem and blockade of Gaza.  “These violations must end for peace to begin,” she said, stressing the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force.

Meanwhile, the representative of Israel disputed the political motive behind the related draft, indicating that, beginning with non-combative resolutions, Palestinians proceed to abuse such topics to promote their agenda.  Asking delegations to imagine if the United Nations gave all those seeking self‑determination even a tenth of the attention it gives the Palestinians, she said the draft represents “a relic of the past”, with Israel being isolated in the Middle East and the Organization used to undermine its existence.

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Action on Draft Resolutions

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The Committee next took up the draft resolution titled “The right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination” (document A/C.3/77/L.50), which the Chair noted contains no programme budget implications.

Introducing the draft, the representative of Egypt, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said the international community still falls short in operationalizing the basic right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination, as they “continue to suffer under occupation”.  She said her group supports realization of this right through establishment of the Palestinian State based on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.  Further, it reaffirms the internationally recognized terms of reference of the peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calls for an end to the Israeli occupation and violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people.  The draft aims to reaffirm the right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination, and support the preservation of the territorial unity, contiguity, and integrity of all the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, she said, urging States to support the text.

A recorded vote was requested.

Speaking before the vote, the observer of Palestine said the right to self‑determination of the Palestinian people is inalienable and its fulfillment the only path towards achieving peace in the Middle East.  The Israeli occupation severely impedes the Palestinian people’s exercise of their right to self‑determination, she said.  Human rights violations committed by Israel include settlement activities, annexation of Jerusalem, blockade of Gaza, forcible displacement of the Palestinian people, property and land confiscation, exploitation of natural resources, and arbitrary arrests.  These are “grave breaches” of international law, she said, underscoring the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force and the right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination, adding that “these violations must end for peace to begin”.  She called on States to vote for the text.

The representative of Israel said his country does not dispute the right of people to self-determination, stressing that every year it joins consensus on the parallel resolution on the universal realization of this right.  However, she disputed the political motive behind this resolution.  She noted a pattern that begins with adoption of non‑selective resolutions by consensus, then moves to Palestinians abusing these topics to push their agenda through political resolutions.  Imagine if the United Nations gave all those seeking self‑determination even a tenth of the attention it gives the Palestinians? she asked.  The draft is about the United Nations acting as a partner for peace, not about “allowing authoritarian regimes such as those in Damascus and Tehran to pose as defenders of Palestinian rights, while violating the same rights of their own populations back home”, she said.  This resolution represents “a relic of the past, when Israel stood alone in the Middle East”, and “when the United Nations was simply used as a tool to undermine Israel’s very existence”, she added.  Saying that her delegation requested a recorded vote and will vote against, she called on States to do the same, adding that terrorist attacks are not a way to promote peace.

The representative of the United States opposed one‑sided language in the text unfairly targeting Israel.  This draft does not create conditions that promote negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians towards the two‑State solution, he said, adding that his delegation will vote against the draft.

A recorded vote was requested on the draft.

The Committee then approved draft resolution “L.50” by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 5 against (Nauru, Marshall Islands, United States, Israel, Micronesia), with 7 abstentions (Cameroon, Kiribati, Guatemala, Palau, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Togo).

By its terms, the Assembly would stress the urgency of ending the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 as well as a just, lasting peace settlement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, based on relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the Madrid terms of reference, including the Arab Peace Initiative and Quartet Road map to a permanent two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  It would also stress the need to respect the territorial integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.  Further, the Assembly would urge all States and the United Nations to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self-determination.

The representative of Australia, noting that her delegation voted in favour of the draft, recognized the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a future State.  The two‑State solution can only be achieved through a negotiated outcome between the parties, she said, adding that Australia will continue to oppose anti‑Israel bias.

The representative of South Africa underscored that this issue has been established through numerous resolutions in the General Assembly and the Security Council.  His country recognizes the reality as it stands:  Palestinians are being denied their right to self‑determination by Israel.  The continued colonial occupation is a violation of international law, he asserted, adding that Israel’s actions are amounting to annexation.  He stressed that the international community continues to fail to take concrete action against this crime of colonial apartheid.

The representative of Argentina, noting that her delegation voted in favour of the draft, supported the right of the Palestinian people to self‑determination and to an independent State of Palestine.  To this end, she stressed the need to foster a negotiating process.

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For information media. Not an official record.