A United Nations General Assembly committee adopted a resolution on Wednesday affirming the permanent sovereignty of Palestinians and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
The Second Committee, which handles economic and financial matters, passed the measure after it was submitted by the Group of 77 and China. The vote recorded 151 nations in favour, including Canada and all European Union member states.
Seven countries voted against the text. Those opposing the measure were the United States, Israel, Colombia, Paraguay, Palau, Nauru and Micronesia, while 11 other nations abstained from the ballot.
Last year, the same committee approved a similar text with 152 votes in favour, eight against and 12 abstentions. The measure will now proceed to the full 193-member General Assembly for formal adoption, which is expected in December.
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. The vote will have little direct effect on the ground, though it shows broad international disagreement with Israel and the US on the issue.
The resolution provides legal basis for states and campaigners challenging the occupation and settlement expansion. It affirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to their natural resources and demands that Israel stop exploiting them.
The text states that Palestinians have the right to seek restitution for that exploitation. It records that Israeli settlements, the separation wall and other actions have caused harm to the Palestinian environment.
The document specifies that the Fourth Geneva Convention regarding the protection of civilians in wartime applies to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. It also records the application of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The text cites the International Court of Justice advisory opinion issued on July 19, 2024, concerning the legal consequences of Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territory. It recalls the illegality of the continued presence there and references the court’s 2004 advisory opinion on the West Bank separation wall.
The resolution reaffirms UN Security Council Resolution 2334. That measure urged all states to distinguish between the territory of Israel and the lands occupied since 1967.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian permanent observer to the UN, said the overwhelming vote showed solid international backing for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. He expressed gratitude to all the nations that cast ballots in favour, WAFA reported.
