‘Cynical History’

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The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution demanding Israel ends its “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” within a year, an unenforceable move analysts said mainly holds symbolic and political weight, the BBC reported.

Wednesday’s resolution was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and 29 other countries, and was supported by 124 nations. Fourteen – including the United States and Israel – opposed it, and 43 abstained.

The General Assembly’s move follows a July advisory from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which said Israel’s continued presence in Palestinian territories is illegal under international law. The ICJ also said Israel should withdraw from the territories “as rapidly as possible,” and pay reparations for the “damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned.”

In its vote, the General Assembly’s 12-month deadline demanding Israel’s withdrawal specifically referenced the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, areas that Israel has controlled since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The motion also called on UN members to halt the import of goods originating from Israeli settlements and to stop supplying arms and related equipment to Israel if there are reasonable grounds to believe they could be used in occupied territories, the Times of Israel wrote.

While both the ICJ’s opinion and the General Assembly’s resolution are non-binding, they add to political and diplomatic pressure on Israel amid its ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip with Hamas.

The conflict in Gaza has been going on for nearly a year, having been ignited by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 people taken hostage.

Since then, more than 41,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the region.

While Palestinian officials welcomed the resolution as a “pivotal and historic moment,” Israel condemned it as “cynical international politics” that would encourage terrorism and harm the chances for peace.

Israeli officials emphasized that the General Assembly’s move would embolden Hamas and other terrorist groups, pointing to the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously accused the ICJ of making a “decision of lies” and insisted that “the Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land.”

Amid questions over the impact of the resolution and fears of the Gaza conflict becoming a regional one, tensions grew Thursday after Israeli intelligence officials announced they detained a man suspected of involvement in an Iranian-backed plot to assassinate Netanyahu and other officials, according to Sky News.

Local media and Israeli authorities said Israeli businessman Moti Maman reportedly met with Iranian officials during two trips to Iran this year, where the parties discussed carrying out terrorist attacks, including the assassination of Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Maman allegedly requested $1 million to execute the plan, but Iran refused, although they paid him for attending the meetings, Israeli officials said.