UNITED NATIONS: A Palestinian draft resolution seeking Israel to halt its “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” within six months is scheduled for a vote by the UN General Assembly next week.
The resolution, drafted by the Palestinian Authority, seeks to formalize the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from July, which declared Israel’s occupation and settlement of Palestinian territories illegal under international law and called for their withdrawal “as rapidly as possible.”
The vote is set for September 18, ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN in New York. The resolution was requested by the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. While the language in the eight-page draft could change before the vote, the resolution currently specifies a six-month deadline for Israel to comply with the ICJ’s advisory opinion.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon has urged the General Assembly to reject the resolution, calling it “disgraceful,” and instead to adopt a resolution condemning Hamas and demanding the immediate release of hostages taken during the recent conflict. Though both ICJ opinions and General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry significant political and legal weight.
The draft resolution comes in the context of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israeli communities, leading to a brutal conflict that has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement in Gaza. Previous General Assembly actions have called for immediate humanitarian ceasefires.
