Palestinian UN proposal Israel exit/ Israel withdrawal Gaza West Bank/ Palestinian resolution Israel occupation/ UN resolution on Israeli settlements/ Newslooks/ UNITED NATIONS/ The Palestinians have circulated a draft resolution at the United Nations demanding Israel withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank within six months. The proposal follows a ruling by the International Court of Justice declaring Israel’s occupation illegal and calling for an end to settlement expansion. If passed by the General Assembly, the resolution, while not legally binding, would reflect global opinion on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
Palestinians’ UN Proposal: Quick Looks
- Palestinians demand Israel’s exit from Gaza and the West Bank within six months.
- The proposal follows a July ruling by the International Court of Justice deeming Israel’s occupation unlawful.
- The draft resolution calls for the dismantling of Israeli settlements and the separation barrier.
- Israel’s Ambassador to the UN condemns the resolution as rewarding terrorism.
- Israel has already been engaged in an 11-month military campaign in Gaza since Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7.
- Palestinian and Israeli violence has surged, with thousands of deaths in Gaza and the West Bank.
- The resolution is expected to go to a vote before Sept. 22, reflecting global sentiment.
UN Draft Resolution Calls for Israel to Leave Gaza & West Bank by 2025
Deep Look:
The Palestinians have submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly calling for Israel to end its “unlawful presence” in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank within six months. The proposal, obtained by The Associated Press, builds on a July ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that deemed Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories as illegal under international law.
The draft resolution demands that Israel immediately withdraw all military forces from Gaza and the West Bank, cease settlement construction, dismantle the West Bank separation barrier, and allow displaced Palestinians to return to their original homes. It also calls for reparations to be paid for damages caused during the occupation, further escalating the already tense relations between Israel and the Palestinians.
This proposed resolution follows years of legal battles and increasing international scrutiny over Israel’s activities in territories it captured during the 1967 Mideast war, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, all of which the Palestinians claim for a future independent state. The ICJ’s ruling, a significant legal condemnation of Israel’s claim to the territories, has galvanized Palestinian efforts at the UN.
The resolution comes at a time of heightened violence. Since Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military has responded with a sustained campaign in Gaza, now in its 11th month. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 40,900 Palestinians have been killed, a figure that includes both fighters and civilians. The war has displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, creating a humanitarian crisis in the region.
In the West Bank, violence has also reached unprecedented levels, with the Palestinian Health Ministry reporting 692 Palestinian deaths from Israeli military raids and clashes with Israeli settlers. These raids have grown increasingly destructive, targeting key Palestinian cities and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Palestinian militant groups have escalated attacks on Israelis within the West Bank, contributing to the growing instability in the region.
The draft resolution is expected to go to a vote before world leaders gather at the General Assembly’s annual high-level meetings on September 22. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they are often seen as an important measure of global opinion on key international issues. The vote will be closely watched for signals of how much international support the Palestinian cause continues to draw, particularly in the context of the ICJ ruling.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the resolution, framing it as a reward for terrorism and accusing the UN of legitimizing Hamas’ actions. “Let it be clear: Nothing will stop Israel or deter it from its mission to bring home the hostages and eliminate Hamas,” Danon stated, rejecting the premise of the resolution entirely.
Israel has long maintained that the West Bank is disputed territory, arguing that its future should be decided through direct negotiations rather than unilateral actions at the UN. While Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it has kept the territory under a blockade since 2007, following Hamas’ rise to power.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour made it clear that his people were no longer willing to wait. “We are sick and tired of waiting,” Mansour said at a Security Council meeting last month, declaring that the time for action had come.
The draft resolution includes several additional demands. Among them are calls for sanctions against individuals responsible for perpetuating Israel’s presence in the territories and for countries to halt arms exports to Israel if there is suspicion that the weapons could be used in the occupied territories. The proposed sanctions would add further pressure on Israel to comply with international law regarding the occupied regions.
The conflict has also highlighted growing concerns over Israel’s deepening defense partnerships, particularly with the United States. Meanwhile, as both sides prepare for a potentially landmark vote at the General Assembly, the situation in Gaza and the West Bank continues to deteriorate, with no end to the violence in sight.
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