United Nations General Assembly votes to demand Israel end Palestinian occupation
The United Nations General Assembly UN long dominated by countries hostile to Israel has overwhelmingly voted in favour of a Palestinian resolution demanding Israel end its "unlawful presence" in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year
The vote in the 193-member world body was 124-14 with Australia one of *43 member states to abstain Voting results of UNGA resolution -- Yes: 124 | No: 14 | Abstentions: 43 | Non-Voting: 12 | Total voting membership: 193
The United States voted against it
Iran and Russia voted Yes
Originally Posted by dixiemafia
Iran and Russia being a part of the UN shows what a joke it is
Belgium, France, Japan and New Zealand also voted Yes
*Including Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and !Ukraine!
The resolution was adopted as troubled efforts to broker a ceasefire deal in Gaza press ahead
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding meetings with mediators in Egypt even as attacks elsewhere in the region — including a fresh wave of explosions across Lebanon — raise fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East
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Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, called the vote a turning point "in our struggle for freedom and justice"
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Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, said the vote showed the general assembly "continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers"
The resolution is the first put forward by the Palestinian Authority since member states, including Australia, voted to give it new rights and privileges, in July 2024 They include a seat among UN members in the assembly hall and the right to propose draft resolutions
The US called it "one-sided" because it did not recognise that Hamas still exerted power in Gaza, nor state that Israel had a right to defend itself from terrorism
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"This resolution will not bring about tangible progress for Palestinians," the US mission argued "In fact, it could both complicate efforts to end the conflict in Gaza and impede reinvigorating steps toward a two-state solution, while ignoring Israel's very real security concerns"
Unlike in the UN Security Council, the US does not have veto powers in the General Assembly
