The Palestinian authorities applaud the decision of the General Assembly
Dec. 31 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations General Assembly has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to urgently rule on the “legal status of the occupation” and “annexation” of Palestinian territories by Israel.
In a resolution approved with 87 votes in favor, 26 against and 53 abstentions, the UN has thus requested the international court to express its opinion and mediate in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The document, titled ‘Israeli Practices and Settlement Activities Affecting the Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs in the Occupied Territories’, calls on the court to “urgently convey its opinion” on the “prolonged occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory”, according to information from the newspaper ‘The Times of Israel’.
In addition, it urges the opening of an investigation into the measures taken by the Israeli authorities to “alter the demographic composition and status of Jerusalem”, while accusing Israel of adopting “discriminatory legislation and measures” against the population.
The ICJ last ruled on the conflict in 2004, when the General Assembly asked it to intercede. Among the countries that have voted this Friday against the resolution is now Israel, the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy and Australia, among others. Some countries, such as Ukraine, have abstained from voting for fear of a diplomatic row with Israel.
The Palestinian Authority has applauded this Saturday the decision of the UN, which has gone ahead shortly after the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was sworn in again on Thursday at the head of a government that has been branded as “annexationist” and “racist” by the Palestinian authorities.
Israel seized the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the war waged in 1967. “The time has come for Israel to face the law and pay for its crimes against our people,” said Nabil Abu Rudeiné, spokesman Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.
