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

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• The World Health Assembly now adopts only two resolution focused on a specific country - this resolution on Israel and a resolution on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It does not single out any other country in the world for criticism of its health 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, the use of terms like "occupied Palestinian territory" and "occupied Syrian Golan" indicates the resolution is blaming Israel for the Palestinians' situation.
• The resolution also implies that Israel does not act in compliance with the Geneva Conventions' obligation to respect protected persons in times of war. At the same time, it ignores 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, Bolivia, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, South Africa, Syria, Tunisia, Venezuela, Yemen

Vote

Yes - 76, No - 13, Abstain - 35, Absent - 52

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 … required to address and deal with structural problems emanating from the prolonged occupation…"
• "(4) to ensure non-discriminatory, affordable and equitable access to medical countermeasures such as vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for the protected occupied population in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan in compliance with international law and WHO norms and standards."
• "(5) to ensure unhindered and safe passage for Palestinian ambulances as well as respect for and protection of medical personnel, in compliance with international humanitarian law, and to facilitate the access of Palestinian patients and medical staff to the Palestinian health institutions in occupied east Jerusalem and abroad."
• "(6) to identify the impact of barriers to health access in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, as a result of movement restrictions and territorial fragmentation, as well as progress made in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the WHO reports on the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem."
• "(7) to ensure respect for and protection of the wounded and injured population, health and humanitarian aid workers, the health care systems, 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…"