The Occupied Syrian Golan

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• This resolution states that Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights is a "flagrant violation of international law." It also falsely claims that Israel is oppressing and imposing citizenship on the Arab population of the Golan Heights.
• The text ignores the existence of the Syrian civil war and its security implications for Israel and the civilians of the Golan Heights. Likewise, the resolution ignores Syria's history of shelling Israeli communities, its leaders' calls for a "war of annihilation" against Israel, and Syria's 1967 aggression that led to its loss of the territory. The resolution also ignores Syria's sponsorship and support for terrorism.

Main Sponsors

Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Syria, Tunisia, Venezuela, Yemen, Palestine

Vote

Yes - 151, No - 2, Abstain - 23, Absent - 17

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to comply with the relevant resolutions on the occupied Syrian Golan, in particular Security Council resolution 497 (1981), in which the Council, inter alia, decided that the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan was null and void and without international legal effect and demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, rescind forthwith its decision."
• "Also calls upon Israel to desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and in particular to desist from the establishment of settlements."
• "Determines that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken or to be taken by Israel, the occupying Power, that purport to alter the character and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan are null and void, constitute a flagrant violation of international law and of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and have no legal effect."
• "Deplores the violations by Israel of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949."