New York, 12 November 2022 (TDI): The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Fourth Committee concluded its general discussion on Friday in the State of Palestine.
The debate revolved around the practices of Israel affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs in the occupied territories.
The committee adopted four resolutions in favor of Palestine. It includes extending the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as well as the illegality of the Israeli settlements.
The Four Resolutions
During the session, 164 countries voted in favor of a resolution on extending UNRWA’s operations, 6 countries voted against the resolution, and 5 others abstained.
Moreover, 165 countries voted in favor of a resolution on assisting Palestinian refugees, while 10 countries abstained and only Israel voted against it.
Read more: Palestine welcomed new UNGA resolutions
Similarly, 160 countries voted in favor of a resolution on the property of Palestinian refugees and their revenue, while 7 countries voted against the resolution, and 7 countries abstained.
Lastly, 150 countries voted in favor of a resolution on Israeli settlements and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan, while 8 countries voted against the resolution and 14 others abstained.
Overall, 98 countries cast votes in favor of resolutions, 17 against them, and 52 states abstained from voting.
While talking with the participants of the session, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine, Riyad Al-Maliki welcomed the vote and the international support of the resolutions in favor of Palestine.
Read also: UN Committee shares Assessment Report on Palestine
After the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the resolutions will be adopted by the UN General Assembly. Al-Maliki highlighted that the positive votes are the result of violations of Israel against the Palestinian people.
He added that today’s result sealed the legitimate rights of our people, including the right to self-determination and the right of return of the refugees.
It is pertinent to mention here that representatives from various countries including the USA, Iran, Libya, Niger, Türkiye, Algeria, Kuwait, Japan, and Lebanon participated in the session, among others.
What is UNGA Fourth Committee?
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Fourth Committee or Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) is among the six main committees of the United Nations General Assembly.
Its main agenda is to deal with political issues including peacekeeping, peaceful uses of outer spaces, decolonization, and refugee issues.
It also deals specifically with the UNRWA for Palestinian Refugees, and the report of the Special Committee on Israeli Practices.
 Fourth Committee concluded its general discussion on Friday in the State of...Read more){kind=link}