General Assembly

The General Assembly today adopted six resolutions on Palestinian and Middle East issues, ranging from Jerusalem to the United Nations special information programme on the question of Palestine.

With the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands nearing its fiftieth year, efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict must move beyond words and promises and compel the occupying Power to end its “warlike” policies, stressed speakers today as the General Assembly opened its annual debate on the Question of Palestine.

Israel’s illegal practices were entrenching a one-State reality of an apartheid nature, the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine told a meeting commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People today.

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today voiced their concerns over the benefit payment delays endured by retirees and participants in the Organization’s $53.8 billion United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), acting without a vote, concluded its work today by approving five draft resolutions, part of a package of 51 texts to be sent to the General Assembly for adoption.

The General Assembly would emphasize the need to optimize economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits of sustainable tourism, especially in African, least developed and small island developing States, according to one of three draft resolutions the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved today.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) sent 12 draft resolutions to the General Assembly today, tackling a range of issues from corruption and crime prevention, social development and children’s rights, to the rights of indigenous peoples and racial discrimination.

NEW YORK, 22 November (Division for Palestinian Rights) — The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will hold a special meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in the Trusteeship Council Chamber at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 29 November.

Sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as issues of privacy in the digital age, were the subjects of close votes and contentious debate today in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) as it sent 12 draft resolutions to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly this morning adopted 10 resolutions, nine of them without a vote, encouraging deeper cooperation between the United Nations and various regional organizations to address emerging challenges in sustainable development, fighting terrorism and economic integration.