The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution introduced by the Ambassador from Palestine to the UN Riyad Mansour, which states that the “State of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Territory is unlawful,” and that Israel must end “its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” within 12 months. The vote on the resolution was 124 in favor, 14 against, with 43 abstentions.
Mansour’s resolution, which was co-sponsored by at least 30 other countries, incorporates and is based on the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion from July 19 on this matter, which found the case for Israeli genocide in Gaza to be plausible and demanded it stop its activities.
At the outset of the meeting, Cameroon’s UN Ambassador Philémon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly, said, “Without justice and the rule of law, Israelis and Palestinians alike will not attain what they long for most: peace and security.” The Assembly must “not lose sight of the many lives lost, the staggering humanitarian challenges and infrastructural destruction that continue to take place, particularly in Gaza in the past several months,”
In introducing the resolution, Mansour said (in close paraphrase): “No one must think that the Palestinians will disappear as a result of the events of the last 11 months. Their spirit will remain free and true to their identity. They wish to be subject only to their God. ... The air is now full of children who died in the most terrifying way. Two million people have been bombed, starved and moved from place to place. How much longer can this go on?! The world must take a stand and act upon it!
“The court (ICJ) sustained Palestine’s requests regarding self-determination and the right not to be occupied. The court fulfilled its responsibility and now all states must assure compliance with the historic opinion. Now is the time for the General Assembly to fulfill its mandate.... Law is not just a measuring stick of violations, but for assuring justice. Our failure to stop Israel will only mean more death and immiseration…. No occupying power can have a veto over the inalienable rights of the people subject to its occupation.
“Some voices are saying it’s not the right time. But justice delayed is injustice. The right time for justice is always now…. Without this solution we all understand the risk of all-out conflagration in the region as a whole.”
A key passage in the resolution, Section 5b, calls on all states to “take steps towards ceasing the importation of any products originating in the Israeli settlements, as well as the provision of or transfer of arms, munitions, and related equipment to Israel, the occupying Power, in all cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect they may be used in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
This provision, if enforced, would mean that especially the Biden-Harris administration, as well as Britain, Germany, and other nations, could not sell or ship weapons to Israel. This would halt Israel’s ability to carry on the war.
The resolution is non-binding, but it spotlights parameters to end the war, and establish justice.
The pro-Netanyahu Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon dissolved into ranting: “Let’s call this for what it is: This resolution is diplomatic terrorism, using the tools of diplomacy not to build bridges but to destroy them.” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield also argued that it was “a resolution that selectively interprets the substance of the ICJ’s opinion.”
At the same time, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican Party Vice Presidential candidate, and 28 other Republican Senators released a letter stating that, “Instead of proposing biased and counter-productive initiatives, which will do nothing to advance a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the international community must focus its energy and resources on ensuring Hamas and other terrorist groups are completely destroyed.”
Joining Israel and the U.S. in voting no are Argentina, Czechia, Paraguay, Malawi, along with smaller Pacific nations.
