United Nations (TDI): The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging Israel to withdraw its forces from the occupied Palestinian territory, as Pakistan reaffirmed its long-held stance that Palestinians must be free to exercise their right to self-determination.
The resolution, titled “Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine”, secured overwhelming support, with 151 member states voting in favour, 11 against and another 11 abstaining, according to a summary released by the UN.
In its text, the General Assembly pressed for urgent, coordinated efforts to revive credible negotiations on all outstanding issues within the Middle East peace process. It also renewed the call for an international peace conference in Moscow, envisioned years earlier under UN Security Council Resolution 1850, to push forward a comprehensive and lasting settlement.
The Assembly urged both Israel and the Palestinians to halt actions that undermine peace efforts and to create conditions conducive to meaningful dialogue. It further demanded that Israel comply with international law by ending its military occupation, halting all new settlement construction and removing settlers from Palestinian land.
On Gaza, the resolution rejected attempts to alter the enclave’s demographic or territorial status and stressed the need for Gaza and the West Bank to be brought under a unified Palestinian Authority. It also reiterated that Israel must withdraw from all territories occupied since 1967 and affirmed the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, foremost among them the right to self-determination, as well as the necessity of a fair solution for Palestinian refugees.
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Speaking during the session, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, said the resolution was “more than a statement of principle”, describing it as a reminder that global commitments must now translate into concrete steps.
He said Pakistan’s vote in favour reflected its consistent and principled position on the Palestinian cause. “Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people is steadfast, and we stand with them in their legitimate struggle for dignity, justice and self-determination,” he remarked.
The envoy noted that the momentum created at Sharm El-Sheikh, where Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire, should not be allowed to dissipate. He emphasized that Palestinian-led governance, reconstruction and institution-building were central to any sustainable path forward.
“Peace cannot be shaped without the direct involvement and ownership of the Palestinian people,” he said, calling for the ceasefire to be fully upheld and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza. He stressed that humanitarian access must remain unhindered, especially with winter approaching and vast areas of the enclave in ruins.
He also rejected any form of annexation, forced displacement or division of occupied territories, insisting that Gaza’s territorial link with the West Bank was vital for the viability of a future Palestinian state. All settlement activity, he added, must stop immediately.
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Ambassador Iftikhar warned against any attempts to alter the demographic or legal status of occupied lands, including areas in and around Al-Haram Al-Sharif. He said such actions were illegal and must come to an end.
To break the longstanding cycle of violence, he argued, the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, including those in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, must cease. He concluded by underlining the need for a credible, time-bound political roadmap based on relevant UN resolutions, leading to a sovereign Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
