The United Nations General Assembly’s Second Committee passed a draft resolution on Wednesday that affirms the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over natural resources in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. According to Premium Times, the text was introduced by Uruguay for the Group of 77 and China during the committee’s eighty-first session. The measure gained significant traction, securing support from 151 member states. This broad coalition included several African nations, specifically Nigeria, Niger, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, and Mali, all of whom cast their ballots in favor of the resolution.
The adopted text demands that Israel halt the exploitation of natural resources within the occupied territories and the Syrian Golan. It further establishes the right of the Palestinian people to seek restitution for resource depletion or damage caused by Israeli actions and settlers. The resolution also addresses environmental concerns, calling for an end to waste dumping and the destruction of critical infrastructure like water and sewage systems. These provisions highlight the link between resource control and civilian survival in conflict zones.
Opposition to the measure was limited to seven nations, with eleven others abstaining. The countries voting against the resolution were Israel, the United States, Colombia, Paraguay, Palau, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia. An Israeli representative criticized the text, arguing it ignored the root causes of economic hardship and omitted references to Hamas. The United States also opposed the vote, labeling the resolution as unbalanced and indicative of institutional bias against Israel.
Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s Permanent Observer, welcomed the result. He stated that the overwhelming support reaffirmed Palestinian rights and noted that the destruction in Gaza underscored the vital importance of resources for human survival. Syria echoed this sentiment, describing the vote as evidence of international attention to developments in occupied territories. This resolution marks the latest international effort to address territorial rights and resource sovereignty in the region.
Premium Times reported that the resolution was adopted by 151 votes in favour. The publication noted that seven countries voted against it and 11 abstained. These figures underscore the diplomatic divide over the issue.