UN General Assembly approves Egypt-drafted resolutions on Jerusalem, Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

CAIRO – 2 December 2021: Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations Osama Abdel Khalek stated Thursday that the General Assembly approved two resolutions drafted by Egypt on Jerusalem and Syria's Golan Height.

The resolution on Jerusalem, which was passed by 129 votes out of 193, refers to the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions refuting Israeli measures and laws aimed at changing the identity of the city as well as its legal and historic status.

Those include the UNSC resolution no. 2334/2016 rejecting any change to 1967 borders, including those of Jerusalem, except for alterations agreed upon by both parties through negotiations.

Similarly, the Egypt-drafted resolution denounces the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements, demolition of Palestinian houses and buildings, eviction of Palestinian families Eastern Jerusalem, particularly in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Salwan, and Israeli drilling in sacred sites and their surroundings. The resolution also asserts that any measures taken to change the identity of the city are null and void, and must be stopped. That is in addition to the necessity of preserving the existing legal and historic status in the city.

Speaking of the resolution on Golan Heights, Ambassador Abdel Khalek pointed out that it was passed by 94 votes. The document reiterates the content of UNSC Resolution no. 497/1981, which rejects Israeli occupation of Syria's Golan Heights, principles of international law, and the UN Charter providing the inadmissibility of territories annexation by force.

The resolution also showcases that the 1949 Geneva Conventions pertinent to protecting civilians in time of war apply to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. That is in addition to the illegitimacy of establishing settlements or any other Israeli activities that would change the demographic nature of occupied Golan Heights.

Further, the resolution underlines that the continuous occupation of Syria's Golan by Israel composes an obstacle in the way of achieving fair, comprehensive, and permanent peace in the region. Hence, it calls on Israel to resume peace talks with the aim of withdrawing from Syria's occupied Golan back to the borders of June 4, 1967 in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions.