The United Nations Common Meeting (UNGA) overwhelmingly adopted a decision calling for an finish to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories inside a yr and the imposition of sanctions for non-compliance.
UN member states handed the nonbinding resolution on Wednesday, with 124 votes in favour, 14 in opposition to and 43 abstentions, the Palestinian delegation heralding the adoption as “historic”.
The measure isolates Israel days earlier than world leaders journey to New York for the UNGA, with six days of speeches from world leaders kicking off on September 24.
Listed here are a number of the reactions to the vote from international locations and worldwide organisations:
Palestine’s ambassador to the UN
Riyad Mansour referred to as the vote a turning level “in our battle for freedom and justice”.
“It sends a transparent message that Israel’s occupation should finish as quickly as attainable and that the Palestinian individuals’s proper to self-determination should be realised,” he mentioned.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN
Danny Danon slammed the vote as “a shameful resolution that backs the Palestinian Authority’s diplomatic terrorism”.
“As an alternative of marking the anniversary of the October 7 bloodbath by condemning Hamas and calling for the discharge of all 101 of the remaining hostages, the Common Meeting continues to bop to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers,” he mentioned.
Palestinian Authority
PA President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the decision and urged international locations internationally to take steps to stress Israel to stick to it.
“The worldwide consensus over this decision renews the hopes of our Palestinian individuals – who’re going through a complete aggression and genocide in Gaza and the West Financial institution, together with Jerusalem – to realize its aspirations of freedom and independence and set up a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he mentioned.
Hamas
The Palestinian armed group mentioned it “welcomes the adoption”, including that it mirrored “the worldwide group’s solidarity with the Palestinian individuals’s battle”.
Israel
Oren Marmorstein, spokesman of the Ministry of International Affairs, mentioned on X that the decision was “a distorted resolution that’s disconnected from actuality, encourages terrorism and harms the probabilities for peace”.
United States
The US mission to the UN referred to as the decision “one-sided”, pointing to its failure to recognise that Hamas, “a terrorist group”, nonetheless exerts energy in Gaza and that Israel has a proper to defend itself.
“This decision won’t result in tangible progress for Palestinians,” the US mentioned. “In truth, it may each complicate efforts to finish the battle in Gaza and impede reinvigorating steps towards a two-state answer, whereas ignoring Israel’s very actual safety considerations.”
Qatar
The Ministry of International Affairs mentioned in an announcement that the adoption of the decision by a majority of 124 international locations clearly mirrored the justice of the Palestinian trigger, representing broad worldwide recognition of the Palestinian individuals’s proper to self-determination as a pure, authorized and historic proper.
The ministry voiced hopes that every one international locations would adjust to their obligations below worldwide legislation and implement the correct of the Palestinian individuals to self-determination.
Gulf Cooperation Council
Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, the secretary-general of the GCC – which incorporates Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – welcomed the UNGA’s name on Israel to finish its occupation of Palestine.
He mentioned it confirmed “the correct of the Palestinian individuals to reclaim their occupied lands” and confirmed that Israel’s actions, together with the growth of settlements, lack recognition at regional and worldwide ranges.
Group of Islamic Cooperation
The OIC, which includes 57 principally Muslim-majority states, mentioned the choice by the UNGA “expresses the worldwide consensus” on the Palestinian proper to self-determination and the institution of an impartial and sovereign state, based on the Palestinian information company Wafa.
It additionally referred to as on the worldwide group to “take particular person and collective measures” to make sure that Israel complies with its obligations below worldwide legislation.
European Union
European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned in an announcement: “The UN Common Meeting has forcefully reaffirmed its dedication to the realisation of the correct of the Palestinian individuals to self-determination, together with its proper to an impartial and sovereign State, dwelling aspect by aspect in peace and safety with Israel, in accordance with the related resolutions of the UN Safety Council and the UN Common Meeting.”
Amnesty Worldwide
Secretary-Common Agnes Callamard mentioned the decision “makes crystal clear” that Israel’s 57-year occupation “can’t be allowed to proceed any longer”.
“For many years Israel’s illegal occupation has introduced injustice, bloodshed and struggling to Palestinians on a mass scale. Over the previous 11 months, the systematic human rights violations which are an indicator of Israel’s brutal occupation and system of apartheid have drastically intensified,” she mentioned, including that Israel ought to adjust to the decision instantly by withdrawing its forces from the occupied West Financial institution and Gaza and eradicating its settlers from the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem.
Human Rights Watch
Louis Charbonneau, UN director on the worldwide human rights group, mentioned: “Israel ought to instantly heed the demand of an awesome majority of UN member states.”