The resolution, approved by 87 countries, faced criticism from Netanyahu, who declared that Israel is “not an occupier on its own land” and that “no UN resolution can distort that historical truth.”
The UN General Assembly approved this Friday a resolution in which it asks the International Court of Justice of the UN to issue a legal opinion on the maintenance of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The resolution was approved with the support of 87 countries, while 26 voted against, including the US, Israel, Germany, Italy and the UK. 53 countries abstained.
The document asks the Court to advise on the legal consequences derived from the current “occupation, settlement and annexation” of the Palestinian territories by Israel, including “measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the holy city of Jerusalem, and its adoption of laws and related discriminatory measures”.
Israel condemned the adoption of the resolution, while the Palestinians welcomed it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the adaptation of the resolution, calling this decision “despicable”. “The Jewish people is not an occupier in its own land nor an occupant in our eternal capital, Jerusalem, and no UN resolution can distort that historical truthNetanyahu added.
For his part, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, commenting on the UN decision, stated that “the time has come for Israel to be a state subject to law and held to account for his continuing crimes against the people” of Palestine.
Source: RT
