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UN General Assembly Widely Supports Nonbinding Palestinian Resolution Demanding Israel Leave West Bank and Gaza within a Year
(AP-Washington Post) Edith M. Lederer - The UN General Assembly on Wednesday voted 124-14, with 43 abstentions, to support a nonbinding Palestinian resolution demanding that Israel end its presence in Gaza and the West Bank within a year. The U.S. and Israel voted against the resolution, while Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK abstained. Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon slammed the vote as "a shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority's diplomatic terrorism. Instead of marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre by condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all 101 of the remaining hostages, the General Assembly continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority, which backs the Hamas murderers." The U.S. mission to the UN called the resolution "one-sided," pointing to its failure to recognize that Hamas, "a terrorist organization," still exerts power in Gaza and to state that Israel has a right to defend itself from acts of terrorism. "This resolution will not bring about tangible progress for Palestinians," the U.S. said. "In fact, it could both complicate efforts to end the conflict in Gaza and impede reinvigorating steps toward a two-state solution, while ignoring Israel's very real security concerns." The resolution demands the withdrawal of all Israeli forces and the evacuation of Israeli civilians from the territories, urges countries to impose sanctions on those responsible for maintaining Israel's presence in the territories, and halt arms exports to Israel if they're suspected of being used in the territories. The resolution also calls for Israel to pay reparations to the Palestinians.