The resolution passed on September 18, 2024, demanded Israel "end without delay its unlawful presence" in the "Occupied Palestinian Territory" within 12 months. It also included a call for an arms embargo on weapons that Israel could use in those areas.
This resolution aligns with a previous decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which deemed Israel's military presence in Palestinian territories unlawful.
The vote saw 124 countries in favor, 14 against, and 43 abstaining, including Rwanda.
Other abstaining nations included the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Austria, Japan, India, and Sweden.
The resolution was praised by several delegates, such as Syria, which called it an expression of global solidarity with the Palestinian people and a strong rejection of Israeli occupation, as reflected in a UN statement.
However, representatives of countries that opposed the resolution argued that it failed to address Israel's significant security challenges.
The Czech Republic's delegate expressed disappointment that the tresolution did not consider Hamas' use of the Gaza Strip to launch attacks on Israel, using civilians as human shields.
Countries like Argentina, Hungary, and Papua New Guinea emphasized the need for a negotiated agreement, rather than unilateral actions, to foster long-term peace in the Middle East.
The UK delegation abstained, citing a lack of clarity in the resolution's ability to support a negotiated solution. Switzerland also voiced concerns that the one-year timeline for Israel's withdrawal did not address its legitimate security concerns.
Israel condemned the resolution, accusing it of ignoring the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people, mostly civilians and during which terrorists abducted 251 people who were taken as hostages to Gaza.
The ongoing conflict has claimed over 41,250 Palestinian lives in Gaza, a territory with deep historical and geopolitical significance.
After Israel's occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem in 1967, these areas became central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides asserting claims over the land.
IGIHE
