Concluding Session, Fourth Committee Forwards Four Drafts to General Assembly Focused on Suffering of Palestinian People, Agency Mandated to Alleviate It
Concluding its work for the current session, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved five texts today, four of which were draft resolutions concerning Israel and Palestine, which took recorded votes.
The text on “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan” (document A/C.4/79/L.16) was approved by a recorded vote of 152 in favour to 9 against (Argentina, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Hungary, Israel, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, United States), with 19 abstentions.
By its terms, the General Assembly would demand that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with its legal obligations, as mentioned in the 2024 advisory opinions by the International Court of Justice, including to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible, to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Further, it would stress Israel’s responsibility as the occupying Power, to investigate all acts of settler violence against Palestinian civilians.
After approval, the observer for the State of Palestine said it “sends a crucial message of hope to our people that the world has not abandoned or forsaken them”. Noting that the speaking time allotted to her delegation would not allow her to “read out the names of the 17,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel”, she said today’s votes show the international community’s absolute opposition to Israel’s illegal settlement and colonization of occupied Palestine and reaffirms the global demand for accountability.
Also approved today — by a recorded vote of 152 in favour to 5 against (Argentina, Israel, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, United States), with 23 abstentions — was a text concerning the occupied Syrian Golan (document A/C.4/79/L.15), which would have the Assembly call on Israel to desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and to desist from establishing settlements. It would further call on Israel to desist from imposing Israeli citizenship and identity cards on Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan.
Welcoming that approval, Syria’s delegate said all measures taken by Israel to change the status of the Syrian Golan are null. He stressed the need to end the forced displacements, demographic changes, illegal settlements, and other serious human rights violations. “The Golan will remain Syrian and will be kept within its motherland,” he said.
Both texts were jointly introduced by the representatives of Namibia and Cuba. Noting that settlements and other illegal practices have intensified over the past year, Namibia’s delegate pointed to the catastrophic situation in Gaza, which has been described as “hell on earth” and “apocalyptic”. Israel’s actions have intentionally sought to cause death, he said, emphasizing that these drafts are aimed at ending Israel’s occupation, which, at 57 years, is the longest in modern history.
Cuba’s delegate noted that Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan for more than 50 years, systematically violating the human rights of its people and seeking to control and seize their resources. He said “L.16” reaffirms the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force and the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He highlighted the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion of 19 July deeming “unlawful” Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Australia called on Israel to respond substantively to the court’s advisory opinion, while the representative of the Netherlands said Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. She added that those responsible for the destruction of homes and property, attacks and intimidation against Palestinians in the West Bank must be brought to justice.
The representative of Canada, voicing support for Israel’s right to defend itself, added that his delegation voted in favour of the resolution to signal deep concerns over the unrestrained expansion of Israeli settlements and impunity with which extremist settler violence has been treated. The United Kingdom’s delegate, who also voted in favour, voiced grave concern that an increasing number of Israeli settlers are using intimidation and violence to pressure Palestinian communities to leave their land. His country has imposed sanctions on extremist Israeli groups and individuals for violence in the West Bank, he added.
Iran’s representative welcomed the adoptions and proposed that all Palestinians including those in diaspora determine their future in a referendum. Citing Israel’s history of occupation, brutality and flagrant violations of Palestinians’ rights, he said its racism and genocide are “posing a uniquely grave threat to regional and international peace and security”.
The Committee also approved a draft resolution on “Assistance to Palestine refugees” (document A/C.4/79/L.13), by a recorded vote of 165 in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, Tonga), with 9 abstentions (Cameroon, Federated States of Micronesia, Liberia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, United States).
By its terms, the Assembly would affirm the need for the continuation of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the importance of its unimpeded operation. It would call on all donors to strengthen their efforts to meet the Agency’s anticipated needs, including with regard to increased expenditures and demands arising from conflicts and instability in the region, as well as those cited in recent emergency, recovery and reconstruction appeals and plans for the Gaza Strip.
Also approved today was a text concerning “Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues (document A/C.4/79/L.14), by a recorded vote of 162 in favour to 6 against (Argentina, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Nauru, Tonga, United States), with 10 abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji, Liberia, Madagascar, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Togo, Tuvalu).
It would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to take all appropriate steps, in consultation with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, for the protection of Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel and call once again upon Israel to render all facilities and assistance to the Secretary-General to implement this.
The representatives of South Africa and Indonesia introduced those two texts — the former underscored the need to support UNRWA in light of the ongoing assault by Israel on its “personnel, premises, operations and mandate”. Noting that mass starvation, famine, disease, and displacement have led to people seeking shelter in UNRWA schools and other facilities, he condemned Israel’s deliberate campaign to bring the Agency to collapse.
Indonesia’s delegate said “L.13” acknowledges UNRWA’s commitment to operate in line with the humanitarian principles of neutrality, humanity, independence and impartiality, while “L.14” reaffirms that Palestinian refugees are entitled to their properties and the income derived from them.
Israel’s delegate denounced the texts as “distorted and one-sided resolutions born of a deeply flawed and destructive political agenda”. None of the resolutions address the threat of terror and its infiltration of a UN agency, she said. Hamas’ heinous 7 October 2023 massacre resulted in the loss of 1,200 innocent lives — 410 days later, 101 hostages remain in captivity. As none of the resolutions to be voted on today addressed the suffering of the hostages, “we shall be their voice,” she stated. The resolutions ignore Hamas’ relentless cruelty and diversion of humanitarian aid to fund its terrorist activities. Their sole purpose is to weaponize the UN against the only Jewish State and democracy in the Middle East. Her delegation’s vote against the resolutions is in defence of “our people, our homes, our lives and our right to exist”.
The representative of the United States, who voted against three of the drafts submitted today and abstained on the one concerning UNRWA, said that “one-sided resolutions will not help to advance a durable peace”. He reiterated the call on the Secretary-General to facilitate an independent mechanism to address all allegations that UNRWA personnel have ties to Hamas or other militant groups. “Nobody, including Palestinians in need, benefits from these allegations remaining unresolved,” he said, underscoring the need to end the conflict and bring the hostages home — including the seven Americans held by Hamas.
Canada’s delegate said that although there are too many resolutions on this conflict and “we oppose initiatives at the UN and in other multilateral fora that unfairly single out Israel”, his delegation voted in favour of supporting UNRWA because of its concerns about the direct attacks on the Agency, its mandate and its staff over the last year. Throughout the current crisis, which began with Hamas' horrific terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023, the Agency has been “the backbone of the critical and life-saving humanitarian response in Gaza”. Noting the legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset which threatens the Agency’s work, he said that in the days prior to the legislation's passage, Canada and international partners urged the Government to not go down that path.
Speaking after the approval of those texts, the observer for the State of Palestine thanked delegates for reaffirming the global consensus on UNRWA, which is rooted in decades of UN resolutions on Palestine. Contrary to the offensive and baseless claims by some, they are “far from one-sided or biased”. The overwhelming support is a clear rejection of Israel’s campaign to eliminate UNRWA and deny the refugee status and rights of Palestinian refugees, she said.
Acting without a vote at the end of the meeting, the Committee approved a draft decision titled “Proposed programme of work and timetable of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) for the eightieth session of the General Assembly” (document A/C.4/79/L.17). Concluding the session, the Chair noted that the Committee had adopted a total of 33 draft resolutions and 5 draft decisions over the course of 29 formal meetings.
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