UNGA Resolution 79/89: Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues

The following is the full text of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 79/89: Palestine refugees’ properties and revenues, adopted on December 4, 2024. The resolution reaffirms Palestinian refugees’ property rights and related income, stressing fairness and justice. It calls on the Secretary-General to protect Arab property rights in Israel and urges Israel’s cooperation. Israeli and Palestinian sides are encouraged to address this issue in final peace negotiations. A progress report is requested for the UNGA’s 80th session. The Resolution was adopted with 164 countries supporting it, 6 countries opposing it, and 9 countries abstaining.

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948 and 36/146 C of 16 December 1981 and all its subsequent resolutions on the question,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General submitted pursuant to its resolution 78/75 of 7 December 2023,¹ as well as that of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine for the period from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024,²

Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights³ and the principles of international law uphold the principle that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property,

Recalling in particular its resolution 394 (V) of 14 December 1950, in which it directed the Conciliation Commission, in consultation with the parties concerned, to prescribe measures for the protection of the rights, property and interests of the Palestine refugees,

Noting the completion of the programme of identification and evaluation of Arab property, as announced by the Conciliation Commission in its twenty-second progress report,⁴ and the fact that the Land Office had a schedule of Arab owners and a file of documents defining the location, area and other particulars of Arab property,

Expressing its appreciation for the preservation and modernization of the existing records, including the land records, of the Conciliation Commission, and stressing the importance of such records for a just resolution of the plight of the Palestine refugees in conformity with resolution 194 (III),

Recalling that, in the framework of the Middle East peace process, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Government of Israel agreed, in the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements of 13 September 1993, ⁵ to commence negotiations on permanent status issues, including the important issue of the refugees,

Reaffirms that the Palestine refugees are entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity with the principles of equity and justice;
Requests the Secretary-General to take all appropriate steps, in consultation with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, for the protection of Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel;
Calls once again upon Israel to render all facilities and assistance to the Secretary-General in the implementation of the present resolution;
Calls upon all the parties concerned to provide the Secretary-General with any pertinent information in their possession concerning Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel that would assist him in the implementation of the present resolution;
Urges the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as agreed between them, to deal with the important issue of Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues within the framework of the final status peace negotiations;
Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its eightieth session on the implementation of the present resolution.

¹ A/79/287.

² A/79/259.

³ Resolution 217 A (III).

⁴ Official Records of the General Assembly, Nineteenth Session, Annexes, Annex No. 11 , document A/5700.

Source: “Resolutions of the 79th Session,” United Nations.