Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• Until this year, the World Health Assembly adopted only one resolution focused on a specific country - Israel. This year, the WHA also adopted a resolution condemning Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. However, it still does not adopt resolutions on any other country situation, including Syria, where hospitals and medical infrastructure have suffered devastating bombings by Syrian and Russian forces, Yemen, where millions lack access to healthcare due to the current crisis, or Venezuela, where the health system has collapsed. Furthermore, use of terms like "occupied Palestinian territory" and "occupied Syrian Golan" indicates the resolution is blaming Israel for the Palestinians' situation.
• Like in last year's resolution, the WHO implied that Israel's COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, which did not cover Palestinians under the Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction, was discriminatory and did not comply with international law, but failed to mention that the PA - not Israel - is obligated under the Oslo Accords to provide for the health care of the Palestinians. The resolution also implied that Israel is not in compliance with the Geneva Conventions' obligation to respect protected persons in times of war. At the same time, it ignored all Hamas violations of the right to health, including using Gaza civilians and medical facilities as human shields, and indiscriminately attacking Israeli civilians.

Main Sponsors

Algeria, Andorra, Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Africa, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Yemen

Vote

Yes - 77, No - 14, Abstain - 37, Absent - 53

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Decided to request the Director-General…(2) To support the Palestinian health sector, using a health system strengthening approach…to address and deal with structural problems emanating from the prolonged occupation…, (4) to ensure non-discriminatory, affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to the protected occupied population in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, in compliance with international law, (5) to ensure respect for and protection of the wounded and injured population, health and humanitarian aid workers, the health care system, and all medical and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities in compliance with the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, (6) to assess, in full cooperation with UNICEF and other relevant United Nations agencies and the WHO Regional Office... the extent and nature of psychiatric morbidity, and other forms of mental health problems, resulting from protracted aerial and other forms of bombing among the population, particularly children and adolescents, of the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem… (8) to report, based on field assessments conducted by WHO, on the health conditions of the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan, including prisoners and detainees... (9) to continue providing the necessary technical assistance in order to meet the health needs of the Palestinian people, including prisoners and detainees, in cooperation with the efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the health needs of handicapped and injured people…"