UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations will debate a Palestinian proposal calling for Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories within 12 months.
This resolution follows an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declaring the Israeli occupation since 1967 as unlawful. The draft resolution, due for a vote, demands that Israel withdraw its forces and halt settlement expansions in the occupied territories, along with the return of land and property seized from Palestinians.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, emphasized the international pressure on Israel to comply. Arab nations, in response, convened a special session just before the annual General Assembly summit. While the resolution faces strong support, Israel has condemned it as a “reward for terrorism,” particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict. Despite this, the Palestinian side has garnered significant global sympathy.
The draft also includes demands for Palestinian refugees’ right to return but notably omits a previous provision that called for halting arms exports to Israel. While UN General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, their symbolic weight could shape future negotiations and policies surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
