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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://theintercept.com/2024/09/18/un-palestine-israel-occupation-resolution/">theintercept.com</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Most of the World Agrees Israel’s Occupation of Palestine Must End. The U.S. Is Fine With It.</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Jonah Valdez</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">September 18, 2024<br></div>
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<p><span>The United Nations</span> passed a historic resolution
Wednesday that calls for the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian
territories in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, with 124 of the
181 member states voting in favor of the measure. </p>
<p>The United States, alongside 13 other nations, voted against the
resolution, continuing its unconditional support for Israel’s actions in
Palestine.</p>
<p>The sweeping resolution builds on an <a href="https://theintercept.com/2024/07/19/icj-ruling-palestine-israel-occupation-settlements/">unprecedented July 19 ruling from the U.N.’s top court</a>,
the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel’s occupation
of Palestinian territories as an illegal, apartheid system that must
cease. The <a href="https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/ltd/n24/266/48/pdf/n2426648.pdf" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" aria-describedby="targetBlankDescription">latest resolution, introduced by Palestine</a>,
affirms the July ruling, setting a 12-month timeframe for the
withdrawal of Israeli military from the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
including the removal of Israeli <a href="https://theintercept.com/2023/10/13/israel-settlers-gaza-palestinians-west-bank/">settlers</a>, a halt to Israel’s <a href="https://theintercept.com/2024/08/31/israel-west-bank-strikes-raids-palestine/">annexation</a> of <a href="https://theintercept.com/2019/09/11/netanyahu-hints-trump-peace-plan-will-allow-israel-annex-key-west-bank-territory/">Palestinian land</a>, as well as the return of land seized from Palestinians since the occupation began in <a href="https://theintercept.com/2017/06/05/a-50-year-occupation-israels-six-day-war-started-with-a-lie/">1967</a>. </p>
<p>Wednesday’s vote had <a href="https://x.com/jonahmv/status/1836431234806981067" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" aria-describedby="targetBlankDescription">124 nations in favor</a>
of the resolution, 14 against, and 43 abstaining. In addition to the
United States and Israel, the coalition of 14 nations opposing the
resolution included just two European states, Czechia and Hungary; two
South American countries, Argentina and Paraguay; the African nation of
Malawi; Papua New Guinea; and six tiny Pacific Island nations.</p>
<p>“This resolution makes it abundantly clear that the vast majority of
the international community support the findings of the International
Court of Justice that Israel’s 57-year occupation of the Occupied
Palestinian Territory is a violation of international law and should not
be allowed to continue,” said Jessica Peake, an international law
professor at UCLA Law, adding that vote is “historic” given Palestine’s
status as a new member of the United Nations General Assembly. <br>After the assembly approved a resolution —<a href="https://usun.usmission.gov/explanation-of-vote-delivered-at-the-un-general-assembly-emergency-special-session-on-the-palestinian-un-membership-resolution/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" aria-describedby="targetBlankDescription"> despite U.S. opposition</a>
— in May, the State of Palestine has been seated among member states
and given the right to introduce proposals and participate in
committees, but still cannot vote.</p>
<p>However, the U.N. resolution, much like the U.N. court’s July
opinion, is not legally binding, and the U.N. has no way of enforcing
its rulings. </p>
<p>“And so now it’s on other member states in the international
community to really put pressure on Israel and its allies to make that
happen,” Peake said. She mentioned potential levers to get Israel to
act, such as countries more vocally urging the end of the illegal
occupation, withholding military aid, and issuing further sanctions. The
United States sends billions of dollars of military aid to Israel each
year.</p>
<p>Much of the opposition against the resolution had to do with its
scope, with some nations arguing it goes beyond what the July advisory
opinion asks for. Nations who voted against the resolution, or
abstained, criticized the 12-month timeframe of ending the occupation as
unrealistic and said Israel needs to be a more significant negotiating
partner. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield previously
said the resolution further undermines efforts to negotiate a two-state
solution. President Joe Biden’s administration, much like previous
administrations, has said it supports Palestinian sovereignty and a
two-state solution but has yet to lay out any viable path toward
accomplishing it.</p>
<div><p>Further obscuring any efforts toward Palestinian statehood,
Thomas-Greenfield said during a panel at the Council of Foreign Affairs
in New York that Palestine <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ot6IP_-MRY&ab_channel=TRTWorld" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" aria-describedby="targetBlankDescription">is not ready to be an independent nation</a>.
“I do not believe the Palestinians, as they exist right now, have all
of the elements to give it statehood,” she said, adding that she had
concerns around “issues of peace and security.” </p></div>
<p>Even so, Peake said the U.N.’s recognition of Israel as an occupying
power is accurate and said the 12-month timeframe gives the resolution a
needed deadline. </p>
<p>“Otherwise, we just have some rather nebulous statement that is
encouraging Israel to withdraw,” she said. “I think it really helps us
see 12 months from now, what has Israel done? It puts a time limit on it
— it puts a moment in time where the international community can look
at Israel’s behavior and take stock of has it, or has it not, fulfilled
the recommendations that the General Assembly has made through this
resolution.”</p>
<p>Ahead of the vote, more than 30 human rights groups released a letter
urging U.N. members to vote in favor of the resolution, as well as the
end of weapons sales and transfers to Israel. The letter listed
violations of humanitarian law, such as the use of arms to attack
Palestinian civilians, including <a href="https://theintercept.com/2024/03/23/intercepted-doctor-gaza-interview/">children</a>, arbitrarily <a href="https://theintercept.com/2023/11/29/intercepted-israel-palestine-prisoner-hostage/">imprisoning Palestinians</a>, and the deprivation of freedom of movement and <a href="https://theintercept.com/2024/05/17/gaza-american-doctors-evacuated/">medical assistance</a>. </p>
<p>“Failure to adhere to the ICJ’s advisory opinion will send a message
that states can be selective in their application of international law,”
the letter read. “It is imperative that states reinforce and show their
commitment to international institutions and the international order
that has been in place for nearly 80 years.”</p>
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