UN demands Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian, Syrian land

The United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt two resolutions that demanded the withdrawal of Israel from Palestine territory and Syria's Golan Heights on Dec 2.

The assembly also rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza and stressed the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority without delay. Moreover, assembly president urged efforts to end stalemate in further moving forward the Gaza ceasefire.

The first resolution titled "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine", garnered 151 votes in favor, including China, to 11 against, including Israel and the United States, while 11 abstained.

The Assembly stressed the need for urgent, collective efforts "to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process" and called for the timely convening of an international conference in Moscow — as envisioned by Security Council resolution 1850 (2008) — to advance a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement.

The Assembly called on both parties "to act responsibly, urgently reverse negative trends and create the conditions necessary for a credible political horizon and the advancement of peace efforts".

The Assembly also demanded that Israel comply strictly with its international law obligations, including by ending its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, ceasing all new settlement activities and evacuating all settlers.

It also rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza and stressed the importance of unifying the Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority without delay.

Additionally, the Assembly called for Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable rights — primarily the right to self-determination — and a just resolution of the problem of Palestine refugees.

The other resolution, titled "The Syrian Golan" also declared that Israel's Dec 14, 1981, decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Golan Heights "is null and void and called for its rescission".

The resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 123 in favor to 7 against, including Israel, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and the US, with 41 abstentions.

The UNGA called on Israel to resume talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and "to respect the commitments and undertakings reached previously. It also demanded that Israel withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of June 4, 1967".

During her remarks at UNGA plenary meeting on the Question of Palestine, Annalena Baerbock, UNGA president, urged for decisive action to end decades-long stalemate between Israel and Palestine on Dec 2.

She also pushed for greater action to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people and a two-state solution with Israel.

"For 78 years the Palestinian people have been denied their inalienable rights – in particular, their right to self-determination. Now, it is high time that we take decisive action to end this decades-long stalemate," said Baerbock, adding that the atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct 7 "set off one of the darkest chapters in this conflict".

She said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "cannot be resolved through illegal occupation, de jure or de facto annexation, forced displacement, recurrent terror or permanent war".

Baerbock reiterated that Israelis and Palestinians will only live in lasting peace, security, and dignity "when they live side by side in two sovereign and independent states, with mutually recognized borders and full regional integration".

She stressed that this is outlined in the New York Declaration, endorsed by many Member States, and UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorsed the "Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza" put forward by the United States.

"We see unfortunately again on a daily basis that these are only words on paper if we do not deliver," said Baerbock, as she reminded that "the quest for peace, stability and justice in the Middle East needs our United Nations" – and for the UNGA "to play a meaningful role".

At a joint news conference in Berlin with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Dec 2 that Cairo was in consultations with the US regarding an international conference for rebuilding the Gaza Strip – in which it would co-chair with the US – as an integral component of Washington's plan, Egypt's Ahram Online reported.

Abdelatty also warned that Israel's escalating violence in the West Bank, including settler intimidation of civilians, has made conditions there "no less grave" than in the Gaza Strip.

During the weekly media briefing of the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majed Mohammed Al Ansari affirmed that Doha continues its intensive efforts to ensure the ceasefire holds.

He also affirmed that the State of Qatar continues its intensive efforts to ensure the current ceasefire in the Gaza Strip holds, monitoring the implementation of the agreement in coordination with various mediation partners.

The Palestinian Presidency described the UNGA vote "as a victory for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people" and a reflection of the international consensus on the necessity of establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, Wafa News Agency reported.

Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said this resolution sends a clear message to the US administration and the occupation that without the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with international law, there will be no security, stability, or prosperity in the region.

Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said the UNGA vote "proves how disconnected it is from reality." Israel, he said, "will not return to the 1967 lines and will not abandon the Golan. Not now, not ever".