General Assembly overwhelmingly affirms Palestinians right to sovereignty

The 191-member United Nations General Assembly today overwhelmingly affirmed the need to enable the Palestinian people "to exercise sovereignty and to achieve independence in their State, Palestine."

By a vote of 140 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the United States), with 11 abstentions, the Assembly adopted a resolution that also affirmed that "the status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, remains one of military occupation."

The text also affirmed, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law, and relevant resolutions of the Security Council, that "the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and to sovereignty over this territory and that Israel, the occupying power, has only the duties and obligations of an occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the IV Hague Convention of 1907."

The Assembly also expressed its determination to contribute to a comprehensive negotiated peace settlement in the Middle East, resulting "in two viable, sovereign and independent states, Israel and Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders and living side by side in peace and security."