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

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

• This resolution contains numerous one-sided criticisms of Israel—referred to throughout as "the occupying power"—over the health situation of the Palestinians in all of "the occupied Palestinian territory," including East Jerusalem and "the occupied Syrian Golan." At the same time, the resolution fails to condemn either the Assad regime or its successor, the Jolani government, for their atrocities against Syrians since 2011. It also fails to acknowledge medical assistance provided by Israel to sick and injured Syrians as part of its "Operation Good Neighbor" and more recently after the Jolani takeover.
• Regarding the war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, this resolution accuses Israel of "starvation of civilians," condemns "indiscriminate attacks on medical and humanitarian facilities" by "the occupying power," and implies that Israel is not complying with its obligations to ensure entry of humanitarian assistance, medical supplies, and medical equipment. It also recalls provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in the politicized South African genocide case.
• The resolution does not mention Hamas and fails to condemn its October 7 attack on Israel or its indiscriminate rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians. It also does not mention the thousands of Hezbollah rockets and drones indiscriminately fired into Israel since October 7th or the mass displacements of Israelis from both Northern and Southern Israel due to the Hamas and Hezbollah attacks.
• The resolution omits any discussion of the health impact of the Hamas attacks on Israelis. The resolution completely fails to hold Hamas accountable for any of the suffering in Gaza, whether from Hamas rockets that fell short, direct attacks on Gazans, stealing incoming humanitarian aid for its own purposes, or its strategy of using human shields.

Main Sponsors

Bahrain, Brunei, China, Colombia, North Korea, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela

Vote

Yes - 89, No - 5, Abstain - 31, Absent - 55

See Full Vote

Key Praise

None

Key Criticism

• "Decided to request the Director-General: (3) to report on the malnutrition results from disordered nutrient assimilation characterized by recurrent infections and chronic inflammation, implying an underlying immune defect, recalling that in the occupied Gaza Strip enclave results from the use of starvation of civilians, and its direct consequences, and urging Israel, the occupying power to protect civilian infrastructure…"
• "(4) to report on the link between food insecurity and the threat of famine, and to call on Israel, the occupying power to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law regarding respecting and protecting civilians and taking constant care to spare civilian objects…"
• "(7) to report on the wanton destruction of health facilities, including hospitals and ambulances, and the catastrophic humanitarian conditions that have been inflicted to the public health system in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem."
• "(8) to call upon Israel, the occupying power, to fulfil its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law to ensure, to the fullest extent of the means available to it, the supply and replenishment of medicine and medical equipment to the civilian population…"
• "(17) to identify the impact of barriers to health access in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, as a result of the long-standing Israeli occupation, the extreme violence of the illegal Israeli settlers, the ongoing war, restrictions on the movement of goods and persons and territorial fragmentation…"
• "(21) to report, based on field assessments conducted by the WHO, on the health conditions of the Syrian populations in the occupied Syrian Golan, including prisoners and detainees, and ensure their adequate access to mental physical and environment health…"
• "(22) to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all Palestinian civilians, including children, women and older persons, arbitrarily detained in Israel, as well as victims of enforced disappearance, and for immediate humanitarian access to detainees in line with international law."
• "(23) to condemn the indiscriminate attacks on medical and humanitarian facilities used exclusively for humanitarian purposes, and on medical personnel, by Israel, the occupying power, in violation of international law."
• "(24) to recall the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, in which it ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full co-operation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance…"
• "(25) to further recall the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, where the court recalled that the military operation conducted by Israel after 7 October 2023 has resulted, inter alia, in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries and the destruction of homes, schools, medical facilities and other vital infrastructure, as well as displacement of Palestinians on a massive scale."