UN votes overwhelmingly on five decisions on the Question of Palestine

The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted five draft resolutions on the Question of Palestine. This year’s number of countries to vote in favour of draft resolutions on the Question of Palestine has increased compared to last year. The draft resolutions are:

1. A peaceful settlement of the Question of Palestine: A majority of 165 countries have voted in favour of the draft resolution while six countries voted against it namely Israel, the United States, The Marshall Islands, Canada, Palau and Micronesia. Six states abstained from voting, namely: Cameroon, Australia, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and South Sudan.
2. Jerusalem: A majority of 162 countries voted in favour of the raft resolution while six countries voted against it namely Israel, the United States, The Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Canada and Palau. Eight countries abstained from voting namely Australia, Cameroon, Tonga, Panama, Togo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and South Sudan.
3. The Special Information Programme on the Question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat: A majority of 163 countries voted in favour of the draft resolution while seven countries opposed it namely Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada, The Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. Seven countries abstained, namely Cameroon, Tonga, Togo, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and South Sudan.
4. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People: A majority of 110 countries voted in favour of the draft resolution while seven countries opposed it namely Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada, The Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. 56 countries abstained.
5. Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat: A majority of 108 countries voted in favour of the draft resolution while seven countries opposed it namely Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada, The Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. 59 countries abstained.

The Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, thanked the UN member states who had voted in favour of the draft resolutions to affirm their support of the Palestinian cause.

Mansour said: “when the international community represented by the United Nations defends international law it encourages the Palestinian people to continue their struggle to realise their inalienable rights to end the occupation and achieve independence of the state of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem.” Mansour said that when the UN adopts similar resolutions it enhances its credibility but unfortunately Israel’s lack of political will to respect their influence undermines their effectiveness.

The GA began deliberations on the Question of Palestine on Monday when Ambassador Mansour gave a speech during which he expressed the Palestinians’ gratitude to the international community for its support and solidarity with the Palestinian people saying it encourages them to continue their struggle to achieve their legitimate national aspirations and inalienable rights.

Mansour said: “the UN historic decision last year to raise the status of Palestine to an observer state is very important and we will work to obtain a full member status .The state of Palestine is committed to the peace process therefore we have accepted to resume negotiations with Israel on 29 July to reach a final settlement and to achieve peace. But Israel continues its illegal actions and provocations to solidify its settlement by annexing more Palestinian land which undermines the two-state solution and thwarts efforts to achieve peace. The international community must take action to force Israel to respect its legal obligations and to stop its illegal practices. The Palestinian leadership is determined to bring an end to the tragedy of our people and to end the occupation and achieve independence of the state of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem, on the basis of the 1967 borders.”