The Palestinians demand that Israel leave Gaza and the West Bank within 6 months

2024-09-09 20:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Palestinians, through a draft resolution that they are circulating in the United Nations, are demanding that Israel end its "illegal presence" in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within six months.

The proposed General Assembly resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, follows a ruling by the United Nations' top court in July that said Israel's presence in the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end.

Condemning Israel's rule over these territories that it occupied 57 years ago, the International Court of Justice said that Israel has no right of sovereignty over the territories and that it is violating international laws against taking land by force. The ICJ also said that the construction of Israeli settlements must be stopped.

Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the proposed resolution and described it as a "reward for terrorism". He said that the resolution should be rejected.

"Let me be clear: Nothing will stop or deter Israel from its mission to bring home the hostages and eliminate Hamas," he said, referring to the Palestinian group, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

The draft resolution comes as the Israeli army's offensive in Gaza enters its 11th month. The war in Gaza was sparked after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and since then, violence in the West Bank has also increased.

The proposed resolution, even if approved by the 193 members of the General Assembly, will not be a legally binding document. There is no veto power in the Assembly, as in the 15-member Security Council.

A diplomat said the Palestinians want the resolution to be voted on before Assembly leaders begin their annual meetings on September 22.

The proposal calls for Israel to comply with international law, including the immediate withdrawal of all military forces from the Palestinian territories.

Also, there is a request to put an end to the construction of new settlements, but also to the evacuation of all settlers and the destruction of the separation barrier that Israel has built in the West Bank.

The draft resolution also calls for all Palestinians displaced during Israel's occupation to be allowed to return "to their original settlements", adding that Israel should pay "for the damage caused".

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, told the Security Council last month that he plans to submit a resolution based on the ICJ ruling to the General Assembly in September. Israel occupied the West Bank, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem during the Middle East War in 1967. The Palestinians want these three territories to be part of their future state.

Three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, while the Western-backed Palestinian Authority has limited control over population centers.

More than 500,000 Jewish settlers, living in settlements built throughout the territory that are considered by most of the international community to be illegal, have Israeli citizenship.

Israel says the future of the West Bank must be decided in negotiations. Meanwhile, in 2005 Israel withdrew from Gaza, but maintained a blockade on the territory after Hamas took power in 2007./ Rel