File Photo: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that Israel withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan Heights to the line of 4 June 1967 in implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. UN
The UNGA adopted a resolution urging Israel to withdraw from Syria's occupied Golan Heights, returning to the 1967 borders in line with Security Council resolutions.
The resolution, which reaffirms the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force, passed with 97 votes in favour, eight against, and 64 abstentions.
The motion was spearheaded by a coalition of countries, including Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the UAE, Venezuela, and Yemen.
It declares Israel's application of its laws and jurisdiction over the Golan Heights as "null and void and without any legal validity" and stresses the need for compliance with international law and UN resolutions.
The resolution demands Israel's withdrawal from all Syrian territory occupied since 4 June 1967. It highlights the illegality of settlement construction and other activities in the Golan Heights since the occupation began.
"The continued occupation of the Syrian Golan and its de facto annexation represent a significant obstacle to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region," the resolution states.
It also calls for resuming peace talks on the Syrian and Lebanese fronts. It urges the international community and peace process sponsors to renew negotiations based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War. It annexed the territory in 1981 — a move that remains unrecognized internationally.
Palestine resolution also adopted
In a related development, the General Assembly on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a draft resolution on the "Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine," introduced by Senegal.
The resolution, which calls for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East based on relevant UN resolutions, reiterates the need to end the Israeli occupation of territories, including East Jerusalem, that began in 1967.
It also called for the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to an independent state. Through the resolution, the General Assembly reaffirmed its unwavering support, per international law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders based on the pre-1967 borders.
The draft, adopted with 157 votes in favour, eight against, and seven abstentions, urges renewed efforts towards a two-state solution and highlights the importance of international support in achieving peace.
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