Rabat – The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution demanding that Israel “end without delay” its occupation of Palestinian territories, escalating international pressure on the Israeli government.
The resolution, adopted by 124 votes in favor, including Morocco, 14 against, and 43 abstentions, calls for Israel to withdraw its forces from the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months.
Among the countries voting against the measure were Israel, the United States, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Argentina.
The resolution follows a landmark opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued in July, which declared Israel’s occupation since 1967 to be illegal and urged the country to withdraw “as soon as possible.”
While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, the vote has ignited strong reactions on both sides of the conflict.
Israel’s government swiftly condemned the UN’s decision. Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, called the resolution a “shameful decision” and accused the General Assembly of encouraging terrorism and undermining peace efforts.
“The political theater called the General Assembly today adopted a distorted decision that is disconnected from reality, encourages terrorism and harms the chances for peace. This is what being disconnected looks like; this is what cynical international politics looks like,” Marmorstein stated on X (formerly Twitter).
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, further criticized the resolution, describing the General Assembly debate that led to its adoption as a “Palestinian circus where evil is legitimized, and terrorism is applauded.”
On the other hand, Palestinian officials hailed the adoption as a historic moment. The Palestinian mission to the UN called the resolution a “victory,” while Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, praised the international community’s “solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people.”
The text was also seen as a significant step by pro-Palestinian groups, though its practical implications remain uncertain.
Resolution demands and potential sanctions
In addition to demanding the withdrawal of Israeli Occupation Forces from Palestinian lands, the resolution urges an end to the construction of new Israeli settlements, the return of seized land and property, and the right of return for displaced Palestinians.
The resolution also encourages UN member states to halt imports from Israeli settlements and to suspend arms sales to Israel if there are reasonable grounds to believe those weapons could be used in Palestinian territories.
It further calls for sanctions on those involved in maintaining what it describes as Israel’s “illegal presence” in the occupied areas.
While such recommendations are largely symbolic, they reflect a growing frustration with the stagnation of peace talks and Israel’s continued expansion of its brutal war on Gaza.
While the UN Security Council remains paralyzed on the Israeli-Palestinian issue—largely due to the United States’ vetoes in defense of its Israeli ally—the General Assembly has often been a platform for Palestinian support.
Earlier this year, the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of recognizing Palestine as a full UN member, a move the US immediately blocked.
