UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 52/207

This was the last resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. All resolutions were one-sided and patently anti-Israel, so as to lose much of their moral standing and validity. Many nations told Israel to ignore their votes in the Assembly and to focus on bilateral ties. This resolution expressed concern over the use by Israel of natural resources in the territories and the Golan Heights while approving the right of the Palestinians to sovereignty over these resources, mainly water. The resolution was adopted by 137 for, 2 against, 14 abstained and 32 were absent.

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The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 51/190 of 16 December 1996 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/67 of 25 July 1997,

Reaffirming the principle of the permanent sovereignty of peoples under foreign occupation over their natural resources,

Guided by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, affirming the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, and recalling relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980 and 497 (1981) of 17 December 1981,

Reaffirming the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967,

Expressing its concern at the exploitation by Israel, the occupying Power, of the natural resources of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967,

Aware of the additional, detrimental economic and social impact of the Israeli settlements on Palestinian and other Arab natural resources, especially the confiscation of land and the forced diversion of water resources,

Expressing its concern at the difficulties facing the Middle East peace process which started at Madrid on 30 October 1991 and which is based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973 and 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978 and the principle of land for peace, as well as concern over the lack of implementation of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, signed in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, and the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, of 28 September 1995,

1. Takes note of the report transmitted by the Secretary-General;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land and water;

3. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, not to exploit, to cause loss or depletion of or to endanger the natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan;

4. Recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, loss or depletion of, or danger to, their natural resources, and expresses the hope that this issue will be dealt with in the framework of the final status negotiation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to report to it at its fifty-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, and decides to include in the agenda of its fifty-third session the item entitled "Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources."

Sources: The United Nations