Palestine wins by majority voting again at the United Nation fourth Committee
The Fourth Committee concluded on November 14 its work for the session with the approval of 8 draft resolutions on the occupied Palestine.
Among the approved drafts were four draft resolutions concerning the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and four on the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People.
The Committee then proceeded to take recorded votes on the four draft resolutions relating to UNRWA as follows:
• Draft resolution “L.12” on Assistance to Palestine Refugees was approved by a recorded vote of 165 in favour to 2 against.
• Draft resolution “L.13” on Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities was approved by a recorded vote of 162 in favour to 6 against
• Draft resolution “L.14” on Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was approved by a recorded vote of 164 in favour to 6 against
• Draft resolution “L.15” on Palestine refugees’ properties and revenues, That text was approved by a recorded vote of 163 in favour to 7 against.
The Committee then proceeded to take recorded votes on the four draft resolutions relating to the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People as follows:
• Draft resolution “L.16”, on the work of the Special Committee was approved by a recorded vote of 88 in favour to 8 against
• Draft resolution “L.17”, on the Applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories was approved by a recorded vote of 160 in favour to 6 against
• the Committee approved “L.18” on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan, by a recorded vote of 158 in favour to 6 against
• Then, the draft resolution on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, “L.19”, was approved by a recorded vote of 156 in favour to 8 against
In a general statement Ambassador RIYAD MANSOUR, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, said that today’s votes were a resounding reaffirmation of the rights of the Palestinian peoples, including the refugees, and the quest for a just and lasting solution. The Fourth Committee’s actions today exemplified the role that the United Nations could and must play in upholding international law and safeguarding human rights. It also illustrated the tangible difference that could be made through multilateral diplomacy. Palestine, he said, urged Member States to support UNRWA’s vital work, including at the 3 December pledging conference. Today’s resolutions reaffirmed the international consensus regarding the illegality of the gross systematic violations perpetrated by the Israeli regime and called for a complete cessation of those grave breaches, which were “sabotaging the small opportunity that remained for realizing the two-State solution for peace”. Those who truly supported the cause of peace must be firm in the demand for human rights.
Australia, New Zealand and pacific voting record on the 8 resolutions:
New Zealand:
Voted in favour of all the resolutions
Australia:
Voted against:
• Draft resolution “L.16”, on the work of the Special Committee
• the draft resolution on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, “L.19”,
Abstention:
• Draft resolution “L.17”, on the Applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories.
• L.18” on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan
Vanuatu abstention:
• Draft Resolution L.12” on Assistance to Palestine Refugees
• Draft Resolution L.13” on Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities
• Draft resolution “L.14” on Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
• draft resolution “L.15” on Palestine refugees’ properties and revenues,
• Draft resolution “L.17”, on the Applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories
• L.18” on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan
• the draft resolution on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, “L.19”.
Papua New Guinea abstention :
• Draft resolution “L.14” on Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
• draft resolution “L.15” on Palestine refugees’ properties and revenues,
• Draft resolution “L.17”, on the Applicability of the Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories
• L.18” on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan
• the draft resolution on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, “L.19”.
Solomon Islands abstention:
• L.18” on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan
• the draft resolution on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, “L.19”.