UN Assembly backs Palestine in 5 resolutions.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Palestine refugees by 151 votes in favor at its meeting on Friday, local time (New York), demonstrating the international community’s support for the rights of Palestine refugees.
The resolution was adopted by 151 votes in favor, 10 against, and 14 abstentions. The 10 UN member states that voted against it were Argentina, Fiji, Hungary, Israel, North Macedonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and the United States of America.
The resolution emphasizes UNRWA’s vital role in providing essential education, health, relief, and social services to Palestinian refugees, as well as life-saving humanitarian assistance in all areas of operation in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the occupied Palestinian territory, in particular in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The resolution also expresses grave concern at the dire situation of Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in particular about their security, well-being, and socio-economic conditions.
The resolution expresses grave concern at the catastrophic humanitarian situation of Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip as a result of military attacks, severe restrictions on humanitarian access, widespread forced displacement, widespread acute malnutrition and famine, disease and poverty, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including homes, refugee camps, hospitals and schools and Agency facilities that serve as shelters for refugees, and the lack of education and livelihoods for Palestinians.
The resolution strongly warns against any attempt to dismantle or reduce the Agency’s operations and mandate, acknowledging that any interruption or suspension of its work would have severe humanitarian consequences for the millions of Palestinian refugees who depend on the Agency’s services, as well as for the region.
The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly also expressed concern about the law adopted by the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) on 28 October 2024 and its implementation from January 2025, and called on Israel to abide by its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of the UNRWA agency, and fulfill its responsibility by allowing and facilitating the full, prompt, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance in all its forms throughout the Gaza Strip, including the provision of essential services to the civilian population.
The resolution also deplored the violation of the immunity of UN premises, the failure to grant immunity to the Organization’s property and assets, the failure to protect UN staff, premises and assets, and any disruption to the Agency’s operations resulting from these violations, and stated that it condemned the deaths of more than 300 people out of at least 56,514 aid workers killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
The resolution calls on all parties to act in accordance with international law and relevant resolutions to enable the Agency to carry out its mandate, as approved by the General Assembly, in all areas of operation with full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, impartiality and independence, and with due regard for international humanitarian law obligations, including the protection of United Nations installations and humanitarian facilities.
The resolution also calls on Israel to respect the mandate of UNRWA and its privileges and immunities and to take immediate steps to ensure that its operations continue without hindrance or restriction in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The resolution reiterates its call on Israel to comply without delay with all its legal obligations under international law, including by taking all necessary and effective measures to ensure full cooperation with the United Nations, the unhindered and widespread provision of essential services and vital humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation needs, as well as medicine and medical care, to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.
The resolution calls on Israel, as the occupying Power, to fully comply with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949.
The resolution stresses the need to pay compensation, in accordance with international law, for all loss, damage, and destruction caused to UNRWA in the occupied Palestinian territory, and calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to undertake a comprehensive assessment in this regard.