Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• The one-sided resolution strongly criticizes Israel for alleged confiscation of Palestinian land and exploitation of Palestinian natural resources and demands that Israel cease such actions. It denies Israel's right to self-defense by describing all Israeli preventive measures as a conspiracy against Palestinian natural resources.
• The text omits mention of Palestinian terrorism, or any Palestinian obligation. It further omits mention of Palestinian harm to natural resources, such as the destruction of Gaza greenhouses delivered intact by Israel, Hamas’s commandeering of international aid money to fund the construction of terror tunnels rather than rebuild destroyed infrastructure, Hamas’s embedding of its military operations within Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, thereby making that infrastructure a military target, Hamas’s pollution of the environment by burning tires, Hamas’s destruction of flora and fauna with arson balloons and kites, and the general Palestinian refusal to develop water resources and address sewage management as required by the Oslo Accords.

Main Sponsors

Group of 77 and China

Vote

Yes - 156, No - 8, Abstain - 10, Absent - 19

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Expressing its grave concern about the extensive destruction by Israel, the occupying Power, of agricultural land and orchards in the Occupied Palestinian Territory…"
• "Expressing its grave concern also about the widespread destruction caused by Israel, the occupying Power, to vital infrastructure, including water pipelines, sewage networks and electricity networks, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular in the Gaza Strip…"
• "Expressing its grave concern further about the negative impact on the environment and on reconstruction and development efforts of unexploded ordnance that remains in the Gaza Strip as a result of the conflict..."
• "Deploring the detrimental impact of the Israeli settlements on Palestinian and other Arab natural resources…"
• "Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, cease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan."
• "Recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, damage, loss or depletion or endangerment of their natural resources resulting from illegal measures taken by Israel, the occupying Power…"
• "Stresses that the wall and settlements being constructed by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, are contrary to international law and are seriously depriving the Palestinian people of their natural resources…"
• "Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to remove all obstacles to the implementation of critical environmental projects, including sewage treatment plants in the Gaza Strip…"