ISRAEL SCREWED AGAIN AT THE UNITED NATIONS

AND DESPITE ITS EARLIER PROMISES TO THE CONTRARY (SEE BELOW) , CANADA WAS OF NO GREAT HELP. SIGH. HERE IS A LIST OF THE ONLY COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT SUPPORT ISRAEL: Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and the United States.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES DEBATE ON PALESTINE, MIDDLE EAST WITH ADOPTION OF SIX RESOLUTIONS
Convinced that achieving a final and peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine -- the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict –- would serve as the cornerstone of stability in the Middle East, the General Assembly today adopted resolutions concerning Palestine, Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan, among others.

The Assembly expressed grave concern over the tragic events in the occupied Palestinian territories over the past four years, adopting a text on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine by a vote of 161 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions (Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu).

By that text, the world body stressed the need for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 and the realization of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, primarily the right to self-determination and to an independent State. It also stressed the need for a speedy end to the reoccupation of Palestinian population centres and for the complete cessation of all acts of violence, including military attacks, destruction and acts of terror.

Additionally, the Assembly called on both sides, the diplomatic Quartet and other interested parties to work to halt the situation’s further deterioration, and to facilitate a speedy resumption of the peace process and conclusion of a final peaceful settlement.

On Jerusalem, the Assembly adopted an orally corrected text that reaffirmed the international community’s interest in protecting the city’s unique spiritual, religious and cultural character, by a recorded vote of 155 in favour to 7 against (Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 15 abstentions.

By that text, the world body reiterated that any actions taken by Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the city remained illegal, and deplored the transfer of diplomatic missions to Jerusalem, in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions. The Assembly also stressed that a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Jerusalem –- which took into account the legitimate concerns of both sides –- must include internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure freedom of religion and of conscience, and permanent, free and unhindered access of all to holy places.

Also eliciting significant discussion was the text on the Syrian Golan, adopted by a recorded vote of 111 in favour to 6 against (Federated States of Micronesia, Grenada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 60 abstentions, by which the Assembly stressed the illegality of Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Syrian Golan since 1967.

In addition to resuming talks with Syria and Lebanon, and respecting commitments and undertakings reached during the previous talks, the world body also called on Israel to rescind its 14 December 1981 decision to impose laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan and, once more, demanded a complete withdrawal to the 4 June 1967 line.