{"id":124829,"date":"2017-11-30T15:21:54","date_gmt":"2017-11-30T15:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=124829"},"modified":"2020-07-22T00:56:20","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T04:56:20","slug":"ga-resolutions-declare-israels-actions-in-syrian-golan-east-jerusalem-null-and-void-ga-adopts-six-resolutions-on-palestine-middle-east-ga11982","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/ga-resolutions-declare-israels-actions-in-syrian-golan-east-jerusalem-null-and-void-ga-adopts-six-resolutions-on-palestine-middle-east-ga11982\/","title":{"rendered":"GA resolutions declare Israel\u2019s Actions in Syrian Golan, East Jerusalem “Null and Void”, GA Adopts Six Resolutions on Palestine, Middle East – GA\/11982"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEVENTY-SECOND SESSION,\u00a060TH MEETING (AM)<\/strong>
\nGA\/11982<\/strong>
\n30 NOVEMBER 2017<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

Concluding its annual debate on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East, the General Assembly adopted six\u00a0resolutions today \u2014 including two declaring Israel\u2019s actions in the Syrian Golan and East Jerusalem \u201cnull and void\u201d \u2014 as several delegates voiced concern that those texts perpetuated a one-sided view that isolated and targeted a single Member State.<\/p>\n

After the debate concluded, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution \u201cJerusalem\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.11<\/a>) by a recorded vote of 151\u00a0in favour to 6\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 9\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Honduras, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Togo).<\/p>\n

By that text, the Assembly reiterated that any actions by Israel, the occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem were illegal and therefore null and void.\u00a0 It further stressed the need for the parties to refrain from provocative actions, especially in areas of religious and cultural sensitivity, and called for respect for the historic status quo at the holy places of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

By that text \u2014 \u201cThe Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/71\/L.17), adopted by a recorded vote of 105\u00a0in favour to 6\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United Kingdom, United States) with 58\u00a0abstentions \u2014 the Assembly declared that Israel had failed to comply with Security Council resolution\u00a0497 (1981) and demanded its withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n

Adopting the draft resolution \u201cPeaceful settlement of the question of Palestine\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.16<\/a>) by a recorded vote of 157\u00a0in favour to 7\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States) with 8\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Fiji, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Tonga), the Assembly called for the intensification of efforts by the parties towards the conclusion of a final peace settlement, stressed the need for resumed negotiations and called upon Israel to cease all unilateral actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\n

The Assembly also adopted by recorded vote a series of resolutions dealing with the Â鶹APP system\u2019s own provision of support to the Palestinian people:\u00a0 Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.15<\/a>), the Secretariat\u2019s Division for Palestinian Rights (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.13<\/a>) and the Department of Public Information\u2019s special information programme on the question of Palestine (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.14<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s representative, introducing \u201cL.11\u201d and \u201cL.17\u201d, noted that the former called for the realization of the Palestinian people\u2019s right to freedom of belief and called for an end to<\/a> all of Israel\u2019s excavation or destruction of holy sites.\u00a0 The latter text reiterated the Assembly\u2019s concern that Israel had still failed to adhere to relevant Â鶹APP resolutions, and called on it to fully withdraw from the Syrian Golan.\u00a0 (For details on the remaining draft resolutions, introduced on 29\u00a0November, see Press Release\u00a0GA\/11981<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Syria\u2019s representative, stressing that Israel\u2019s actions in the occupied Syrian Golan were both supported and emboldened by certain permanent members of the Security Council, noted that Israel\u2019s systematic and discriminatory policies amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s delegate said that after seven\u00a0decades, some countries still refused to accept her country\u2019s existence.\u00a0 Moreover, the Â鶹APP continued to annually adopt biased resolutions and devote precious resources \u2014 almost $6.5\u00a0million of its budget \u2014 to politicized bodies whose sole purpose was to attack and denounce Israel.\u00a0 Supporting the six\u00a0resolutions would neither advance nor inspire peace, she said.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United States echoed that opposition, saying the biased and one-sided resolutions undermined efforts to achieve peace between the parties.\u00a0 It was inappropriate for the Â鶹APP \u2014 founded on the ideal that all nations should be treated equally \u2014 to treat one Member State so unequally, he stressed, voicing concern about the renewal of mandates of three\u00a0Â鶹APP bodies and programmes that wasted critical resources and only perpetuated the perception of the Organization\u2019s inherent bias against Israel.<\/p>\n

Estonia\u2019s representative, speaking on behalf of the European Union, explained its members\u2019 position on several key terms used in the resolutions.\u00a0 Whenever \u201cPalestinian Government\u201d was mentioned, it referred to the Palestinian Authority, and the use of the term \u201cPalestine\u201d in those resolutions could not be construed as the recognition of a State of Palestine, she said.<\/p>\n

Also speaking were representatives of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, China, Uruguay, Oman, Cuba, Algeria, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Russian Federation, Argentina, Singapore and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

The General Assembly will reconvene at 10\u00a0a.m. Friday, 1\u00a0December to take action on a draft resolution on the culture of peace, review the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the Â鶹APP and take up a report of the Fifth Committee.<\/p>\n

Question of Palestine<\/u><\/p>\n

MOHAMMED HUSSEIN BAHR ALULOOM (Iraq<\/u>), highlighting that the annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was an unwavering recognition by the Â鶹APP of their plight, said the 2017 commemoration on 29\u00a0November had coincided with the fiftieth\u00a0anniversary of Israeli aggression.\u00a0 Such activities continued unabated, including illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, efforts to foil the international community\u2019s work towards establishing a Palestinian State and the demolition of homes, infrastructure, holy places, schools and other civilian locations.\u00a0 Palestinians had lost hope in the establishment of any just and lasting peace, he said, underlining Iraq\u2019s position that any such resolution would only be achieved by establishing a sovereign and independent Palestinian State based on 1967\u00a0borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.\u00a0 Urging Israel to respect all its commitments under international humanitarian law, he encouraged Member States that had not yet done so to recognize the State of Palestine and support its people in the pursuit of their legitimate and inalienable rights.<\/p>\n

MANAL HASSAN RADWAN (Saudi Arabia<\/u>), calling for redoubled efforts to enable the Palestinian people to fully realize their right to self-determination, condemned all Israeli attacks on Occupied Palestinian Territory, including killing innocent people, property theft, destroying homes and infrastructure and the longstanding Gaza blockade.\u00a0 Such actions could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity, she stressed, noting that Israel had disregarded the international community\u2019s calls to end its aggressions.\u00a0 Demanding an end to repeated violations, she said the sanctity and integrity of all holy sites must be respected.\u00a0 \u201cChasing away Palestinians\u201d from their own sites and homes represented a case of ethnic cleansing.\u00a0 She called on Israel to end its illegal settlement expansion and respect relevant international laws, adding that Israeli settlers committing crimes against Palestinian civilians should be placed on global lists of terrorist groups.<\/p>\n

MAHMOUD DIBAEI (Iran<\/u>), expressing regret over the international community\u2019s failure on the question of Palestine due to the Israeli regime\u2019s intransigence and continued unlawful and criminal acts, emphasized that \u201cthe injustice has continued for more than seven\u00a0decades\u201d.\u00a0 The Israeli regime arrogantly and flagrantly continued to violate Â鶹APP decisions, including at least 86\u00a0Security Council resolutions.\u00a0 It was unfortunate that a host of criminal policies were being perpetrated by the regime with impunity; the rapid growth of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory constituted not only a grave breach of the Fourth\u00a0Geneva Convention but also a war crime.\u00a0 \u201cIt is yet another clear indication that the Israeli regime had never had any interest in peace with the Palestinians,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s participation in talks had been just another tactic to buy time and continue its policy of expansion.\u00a0 The continued brutal Israeli occupation not only caused misery to the Palestinian people, it also lay at the origin of various tensions in the Middle East.\u00a0 Yet, the Security Council continued to be paralysed, failing to uphold its obligations, he said, adding that \u201cthis must change.\u201d<\/p>\n

DIAN TRIANSYAH DJANI (Indonesia<\/u>) said his country shared the Secretary-General\u2019s concern about the absence of political progress on the Palestinian question and the high risk of further violence and radicalization.\u00a0 Indonesia reaffirmed its support for the two\u2011State vision and reaffirmed that nobody who had objected to that vision had come up with a viable alternative which met the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and the Palestinians.\u00a0 He called on Israel to stop resettlement and construction and to put to an end to extra judicial killings and other forms of human rights abuses.\u00a0 He added that the illegal blockades and \u201cbarrier zones\u201d imposed by Israel undermined the potential of the Palestinian economy and exacerbated its dependence on imports and foreign aid.\u00a0 Indonesia fully supported the draft resolutions being adopted.<\/p>\n

WU HAITAO (China<\/u>) said addressing the question of Palestine was fundamental to peace in the Middle East.\u00a0 However, Israel\u2019s persistent settlement expansion had greatly undermined the peace process.\u00a0 China had made a four\u2011point proposal, including through establishing a political process based on a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 Palestine and Israel must embark on a shared path to security.\u00a0 All settlement activities must end and Security Council resolution\u00a02334<\/a> (2016) must immediately be implemented.\u00a0 The international community must intensify diplomatic efforts to bring both parties to the negotiating table.\u00a0 An integrated approach that promoted peace though development was also essential, he added, noting that China had always maintained an impartial and objective view of the Middle East situation.\u00a0 China supported the just cause of the Palestinian people as well as the establishment of a State based on pre\u20111967 borders.\u00a0 \u201cBoth sides must meet each other halfway,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Expressing concern that some countries in the region were trapped in \u201cprotracted turmoil\u201d and that terrorism was spreading, he said the international community must focus on advancing a political settlement in hotspot areas.\u00a0 He also underscored the need to cut off terrorist financing.<\/p>\n

MAT\u00cdAS PAOLINO LABORDE (Uruguay<\/u>), reaffirming his country\u2019s support for the right of Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace, reiterated support for the two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 Uruguay maintained close links of friendship with both Israel and Palestine, he said, urging the international community to step up efforts and urge parties to return to the negotiating table.\u00a0 They must reach a just solution that considered the interests of both parties and must refrain from adopting unilateral measures that stunted or jeopardized the peace process.\u00a0 Expressing concern over Israel\u2019s illegal settlements, he said they ran counter to the Middle East Quartet and various Security Council resolutions and, if they continued, would jeopardized the two-State solution.<\/p>\n

MOHAMED AHMED SALIM AL-SHANFARI (Oman<\/u>) said the current debate had remained unchanged in the seven\u00a0decades as had Israel\u2019s continuing inhumane policies.\u00a0 Calling on the international community, through the Security Council, to carry out its responsibility to ensure that Israel guaranteed protection to the Palestinian people, he said Member States must also push that country to end its discriminatory policies.\u00a0 \u201cWe must move towards negotiations to end the occupation\u201d and establish a free, sovereign and independent Palestinian State.\u00a0 Welcoming the recent reconciliation agreement signed between Fatah and Hamas, he commended Egypt\u2019s efforts in that regard.\u00a0 Israel and Palestine must return to the negotiating table and all other stakeholders, including the Middle East Quartet and the Security Council, must take up their proper roles.<\/p>\n

HUMBERTO RIVERO ROSARIO (Cuba<\/u>), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, voiced deep concern over the situation in the Middle East, which was characterized by violence, interference in internal affairs and aggression on the part of Israel.\u00a0 Urging Israel to immediately cease its destruction, seizure and occupation of Palestinian lands and its human rights violations, he said the Security Council must also adopt tangible measures to compel the country to do so.\u00a0 Any solution to the question of Palestine would be impossible as long as Israel continued to violate international law and relevant Â鶹APP decisions, including Council resolution\u00a02334<\/a> (2016).\u00a0 It was critical to address all barriers to peace, including the situation in East Jerusalem, where Israel\u2019s policies jeopardized the peace process.\u00a0 Reiterating Cuba\u2019s policy of solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support for a sovereign, independent Palestinian State, he said the international community must not stand by as Israeli violations continued.<\/p>\n

MOHAMMED BESSEDIK (Algeria<\/u>) said it was truly deplorable that some continued to celebrate the Balfour Declaration even though the Palestinian people continued to suffer.\u00a0 Indeed, Israel was still expanding its settlement activities and apartheid wall and continued its inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip while its army committed barbaric acts daily, flouting international law.\u00a0 Such crimes continued unpunished because of the international community\u2019s indifference.\u00a0 Given the continued plight of the Palestine people, the international community remained responsible for finding a way out and responding to their aspirations to live in dignity.\u00a0 He urged the international community to redouble efforts to provide the Palestinian people with protection and help them to establish an independent State, one in which they could control their own resources.\u00a0 He reaffirmed Algeria\u2019s unconditional support to the Palestinian cause and their just and legitimate struggle.<\/p>\n

KENNEDY MAYONG ONON (Malaysia<\/u>) expressed regret about Israel\u2019s continued construction of illegal settlements on Palestinian land, including in East Jerusalem, which further weakened the possibility of a two-State solution.\u00a0 He urged the international community to demand that Israel immediately cease settlement activities in Occupied Palestinian Territory before completely eroding the viability of a two-State solution.\u00a0 He also expressed concern about vulnerable security at holy sites, urging the safeguarding of unrestricted access for Muslim worshippers to the Al\u2011Aqsa Mosque.\u00a0 On the situation in the Gaza Strip, he noted that food, clean water, sanitation and electricity remained scarce because vast networks had been destroyed by Israeli aggression.\u00a0 As such, all Member States must continue to demand an immediate lifting of the blockade.\u00a0 Normalizing the situation there would significantly reduce tensions and facilitate the resumption of the political process.\u00a0 However, \u201cnormalization also does not mean that the citizens of Gaza will continue to live in a de facto open-air prison,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Instead, normalization meant the realization and fulfilment of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n

DAULET YEMBERDIYEV (Kazakhstan<\/u>) said the two-State solution was the only viable and durable option, expressing support for the Palestinian people\u2019s right to self-determination and Israel\u2019s right to security.\u00a0 He emphasized the need to ensure the rule of law and good governance, which would yield dividends over time.\u00a0 Noting that all major religions \u2014 Judaism, Islam and Christianity \u2014 were born in the sacred land of the Middle East, he asked whether it was possible for its rich history to inspire the region to live in peace.\u00a0 For its part, Kazakhstan would do its utmost to ensure peace and security in the region.<\/p>\n

Situation in Middle East<\/u><\/p>\n

AMR ABDELLATIF ABOULATTA (Egypt<\/u>), introducing the draft resolutions titled \u201cJerusalem\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.11<\/a>) and \u201cThe Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.17), said the former reaffirmed decisions by both the Assembly and the Security Council regarding occupied East Jerusalem, reflecting the fact that all of Israel\u2019s attempts to change the character of the city were \u201cnull and void\u201d.\u00a0 It also called for the realization of the Palestinian people\u2019s right to freedom of belief and called for an end to all of Israel\u2019s excavation or destruction of holy sites.\u00a0 The text had not been altered since the seventy-first session, he said, except to include a reference to Security Council resolution\u00a02334<\/a> (2016).<\/p>\n

Turning to \u201cL.17\u201d, he said the draft reiterated the Assembly\u2019s concern that Israel still failed to adhere to relevant Â鶹APP resolutions.\u00a0 Emphasizing that the Geneva Conventions applied to the lands occupied by Israel, he said \u201cL.17\u201d called on that country to fully withdraw from the Syrian Golan, and urged the international community to take that situation into account as it dealt with broader challenges in the Middle East.\u00a0 He called on all Member States to support both draft resolutions and help to achieve the goals enshrined in international law and on which the Â鶹APP had been founded.<\/p>\n

MOUNZER MOUNZER (Syria<\/u>), recalling that every year the Assembly called on Israel to end its illegal and groundless occupation of Arab territories, said today\u2019s meeting coincided with the centennial\u00a0anniversary of the \u201csinister\u201d and \u201ccolonial\u201d Balfour Declaration, whose repercussions were still being felt not only by Syrians but by all people in the Middle East.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s actions were supported and indeed emboldened by certain permanent members of the Security Council, he stressed, noting that Israel\u2019s systematic and discriminatory policies amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n

In the Syrian Golan, he said, Israel refused to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution\u00a0497 (1981).\u00a0 Instead, Israel supported terroristic policies and denied people the legitimate right to resist occupation, he said, calling for the release of all unlawfully detained persons and an immediate end to all its repressive socioeconomic policies.\u00a0 Israel had also recently helped Nusrah Front to attack Syrian towns north of the separation zone, leading to civilian casualties.\u00a0 Reaffirming Syria\u2019s \u201cnon-negotiable\u201d sovereign right over the occupied Syrian Golan, he said it was no longer acceptable for the Assembly to adopt routine resolutions on the matter.\u00a0 Instead, he urged Member States to undertake immediate and concrete measures to compel Israel to end its occupation and called on them to vote in favour of both draft resolutions.<\/p>\n

LAILA SHAREEF (Maldives<\/u>), calling for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, said that Israel must fully implement all relevant resolutions and respect the legal obligations it undertook in the Oslo Accords.\u00a0 In recent months, violence by the occupying Power had increased dramatically, she noted, adding that the provocative law to retroactively legalize settlements by the Government of Israel had resulted in the approval of more than 2,000\u00a0housing units in Area\u00a0C of the occupied West Bank at the expense of Palestinian-owned structures.\u00a0 Also expressing concern about the ongoing conflicts in Syria, she added that the barbaric acts of violence perpetrated by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant\u00a0(ISIL\/Da\u2019esh) represented a serious assault on the religion of Islam.<\/p>\n

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation<\/u>), highlighting current conflicts in the Middle East and noting that critical agreements such as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme remained under threat, said his delegation was an active proponent of unity among the region\u2019s States.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot forget that extremists use ethnic and religious aspects to spread discord,\u201d he added.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the global counter-terrorism coalition, as proposed by the Russian Federation, had yet to be established.\u00a0 On the issue of solving the crises in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, he called for political solutions and warned against imposing remedies from abroad.\u00a0 He welcomed recent developments aimed at renewing Syrian negotiations in Geneva.\u00a0 On Yemen, it was essential to increase humanitarian support.\u00a0 New challenges in the Middle East and North Africa must not affect the priority of settling the question of Palestine, he said, expressing great concern over the current stalemate and underlining the Russian Federation\u2019s commitment to achieving a just solution on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.\u00a0 As a member of the Security Council and the Middle East Quartet, the Russian Federation supported the Palestinian people\u2019s legal rights and commended the regional efforts led by Egypt and Jordan.\u00a0 He noted other positive steps, including the power-sharing agreement between Fatah and Hamas, adding that \u201cwe have no hidden agenda in the Middle East\u201d.<\/p>\n

Action on Draft Resolutions<\/u><\/p>\n

HADAS MEITZAD (Israel<\/u>), explaining her delegation\u2019s position, said that 70\u00a0years after the Assembly had adopted resolution\u00a0181 (1947), calling for the creation of independent Arab and Jewish States, some countries still refused to accept the existence of her country.\u00a0 While 29\u00a0November should have been a celebration of that adoption, instead, year after year, that historic date becomes an annual Israel-bashing session.\u00a0 Despite the many crises facing the world, the Â鶹APP continued to adopt biased resolutions and devote precious resources to politicized bodies whose sole purpose was to attack and denounce Israel.<\/p>\n

Citing examples from draft resolutions being considered today, she said the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People spread a one-sided political narrative, supported by the Â鶹APP Department of Political Affairs\u2019 Division for Palestinian Rights, which had 15\u00a0paid positions.\u00a0 Large portions of the division\u2019s budget paid for business class airline tickets for participants attending anti-Israel events, using \u201cyour money\u201d to do so, she said.\u00a0 The Department of Public Information\u2019s special information programme on the question of Palestine also focused on anti-Israel activities and did little to promote dialogue and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.\u00a0 It was truly baffling that the Â鶹APP spent almost $6.5\u00a0million of its budget on organizations and bodies that did nothing but try to isolate Israel, she said, adding that at a time of budgetary deficits, it was also unwise and wrong.<\/p>\n

She said two\u00a0draft resolutions discussed the Temple Mount, a sacred place for all three Abrahamic religions, but had deliberately omitted any reference to the Jewish or Christian connections to the holy site.\u00a0 The international community must stop participating in such blatant denial of history.\u00a0 The draft resolution \u201cCommittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.15<\/a>) stated that the establishment of the State of Israel was a catastrophe, which amounted to a denial of her country\u2019s right to exist.\u00a0 On the draft resolution \u201cThe Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.17), she said the situation in Syria was dire and Israel was helping thousands of injured Syrians in their hospitals, free of charge.\u00a0 Despite the reality on the ground, \u201cabsurdity prevailed\u201d in the General Assembly, she said, emphasizing that the draft resolutions offered only one-sided accounts and asking delegates to vote against the drafts if they truly sought to help the Israeli-Palestinian situation.<\/p>\n

RICHARD ERDMAN (United States<\/u>) said his delegation opposed biased, one-sided resolutions against Israel, which undermined efforts to achieve peace between the parties.\u00a0 While Member States continued to single out Israel, the United States had voted against 18\u00a0such resolutions in 2017 so far.\u00a0 It was inappropriate for the Â鶹APP \u2014 founded on the ideal that all nations should be treated equally \u2014 to treat one Member State so unequally.\u00a0 The United States would vote against all the draft resolutions presented in the Assembly today, he said, voicing concern about the renewal of mandates of three\u00a0Â鶹APP bodies and programmes that wasted critical resources and only perpetuated the perception of the Organization\u2019s inherent bias against Israel.\u00a0 \u201cBiased resolutions do not help advance peace\u201d, but only distracted attention from that process, he said.<\/p>\n

Turning first to the draft resolution \u201cDivision for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.13), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 100\u00a0in favour to 10\u00a0against, with 59\u00a0abstentions.<\/p>\n

It then adopted the draft resolution \u201cSpecial information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.14<\/a>) by a recorded vote of 155\u00a0in favour to 8\u00a0against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States), with 8\u00a0abstentions (Cameroon, Honduras, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Togo, Tonga).<\/p>\n

The Assembly adopted the draft resolution \u201cCommittee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.15<\/a>) by a recorded vote of 103\u00a0in favour to 10\u00a0against, with 57\u00a0abstentions.<\/p>\n

Turning to the draft resolution \u201cPeaceful settlement of the question of Palestine\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.16<\/a>), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 157\u00a0in favour to 7\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States), with 8\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Fiji, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Tonga).<\/p>\n

Following those adoptions, the representatives of several delegations explained their positions.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Estonia<\/u>, speaking on behalf of the European Union, explained its members\u2019 position on several terms used in resolutions tabled during the Assembly\u2019s seventy-second session.\u00a0 Whenever \u201cPalestinian Government\u201d was mentioned, it referred to the Palestinian Authority.\u00a0 The use of the term \u201cPalestine\u201d in those resolutions could not be construed as the recognition of a State of Palestine and was without prejudice to the individual positions of Member States on that issue.\u00a0 The European Union had not expressed a legal qualification with regard to the term \u201cforced displacement\u201d used in a number of resolutions submitted under the Assembly\u2019s agenda items\u00a038 and 54.\u00a0 Some resolutions adopted today also referred to holy sites in Jerusalem.\u00a0 Concerned at worrying developments and recurring violent clashes at the Temple Mount\/Haram al\u2011Sharif, she recalled the special significance of the holy sites and called for the upholding of the status quo established in 1967 in line with previous understandings and with Jordan\u2019s special role.\u00a0 The European Union\u2019s position on those resolutions did not imply a change of its position on the terminology regarding that holy site.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Argentina<\/u>\u00a0said his delegation had abstained on \u201cL.13\u201d because it would be appropriate to carry out an investigation into the best use of Â鶹APP resources aimed at supporting the Palestinian people and furthering the peace process.\u00a0 Argentina was among countries that had recognized the State of Palestine and also recognized Israel\u2019s legitimate right to live in peace and security with all its neighbours.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Singapore<\/u>\u00a0said his delegation had voted in favour of \u201cL.15\u201d on the basis that achieving a two\u2011State solution meant achieving the goal of both parties living side by side in peace.<\/p>\n

Turning to the draft resolution \u201cJerusalem\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.11<\/a>), the Assembly adopted it by a recorded vote of 151\u00a0in favour to 6\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 9\u00a0abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Honduras, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Togo).<\/p>\n

The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution \u201cThe Syrian Golan\u201d (document\u00a0A\/72\/L.17) by a recorded vote of 105\u00a0in favour to 6\u00a0against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United Kingdom, United States), with 58\u00a0abstentions.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Argentina<\/u>, speaking also on behalf of Brazil, explained his position, saying he had voted in favour of \u201cL.17\u201d because the territory had been acquired by the use of force.\u00a0 He also underscored the importance of making progress regarding the dispute over the Syrian Golan.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Syria<\/u>, expressing gratitude to the General Assembly for adopting \u201cL.17\u201d, said the majority of Member States supported the draft, demonstrating their rejection of foreign occupation and support for recovering all territories occupied by Israel since 1967.\u00a0 The overwhelming support for \u201cL.17\u201d also sent Israel a message rejecting its settlements, discrimination and annexation of foreign territory.\u00a0 Such practices had also been condemned by those who believed in international law.\u00a0 Israel had stated that they provided medical support to Syrian citizens, however that was true only of militants involved in Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant\u00a0(ISIL\/Daesh).<\/p>\n

The representative of the\u00a0United Kingdom<\/u>, emphasizing that a just and lasting solution was long overdue, said his delegation was committed to continuing to work to achieve a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 The United Kingdom had voted for balanced resolutions that called out illegal settlement activities and called on both sides to cease actions that were undermining peace efforts.\u00a0 However, resolutions that undermined the Â鶹APP authority did little to advance the peace process.\u00a0 While his delegation had rejected the Syrian Golan resolution that Syria had tabled, it had voted in favour of a related resolution proposed by the Palestinians.\u00a0 The resolution proposed by Syria was unnecessary and a way to deflect attention from Syria\u2019s slaughter of its own people.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEVENTY-SECOND SESSION,\u00a060TH MEETING (AM) GA\/11982 30 NOVEMBER 2017   fran\u00e7ais Concluding its annual debate on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East, the General Assembly adopted six\u00a0resolutions today \u2014 including two declaring Israel\u2019s actions in the Syrian Golan and East Jerusalem \u201cnull and void\u201d \u2014 as several delegates voiced concern that […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[897,1593,2241],"document-category":[2433,1329],"document-source":[1753,2173,1365,1885],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[2237,1801,1961,1749,1797,1905,1917,2741],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-124829","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-israel","country-palestine-state-of","country-syria","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-source-ceirpp","document-source-division-for-palestinian-rights-dpr","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-united-nations-department-of-political-affairs-dpa","document-subject-golan-heights","document-subject-inalienable-rights-of-the-palestinian-people","document-subject-jerusalem","document-subject-palestine-question","document-subject-peace-process","document-subject-peace-proposals-and-efforts","document-subject-situation-in-the-opt-including-jerusalem","document-subject-statehood-related","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/124829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/124829\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=124829"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=124829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}