What is the tenth emergency special session?
The tenth emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly was first held in April 1997 at the request of Qatar.
The Security Council and the General Assembly have held several meetings regarding the decision to build a settlement of 6,500 houses in the Jabal Abu Ghanim area of the occupied Palestinian territory of East Jerusalem.
The current meeting of this emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly is also a continuation of the same trend.
Since then the session has resumed several times. A meeting was also held on October 7 (2023) immediately following the state of war resulting from Hamas attacks in southern Israel.
The United Nations General Assembly, at its 45th meeting of the emergency special session, which resumed on 12 December 2023, adopted a resolution on the protection of civilians and defining legal and humanitarian responsibilities.
153 votes were cast in support of the motion, 23 countries abstained, while 10 countries voted against the motion.
In that resolution, the UN General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. All parties were also required to comply with their international obligations under international law and international humanitarian law in providing protection to civilians.
The resolution demanded the immediate and unconditional release of people held hostage by Palestinian groups, including Hamas, and guaranteed access to humanitarian aid.
If the draft resolution is adopted, the General Assembly will demand that “Israel cease its illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory… and do so within 12 months from the date of adoption of this resolution.”
Some important facts about Palestine’s status and full membership in the United Nations
In this emergency special session, the 193 member states of the UN General Assembly will express their views on how to resolve the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
Palestinians also want to live better – Ambassador
Palestinian Permanent Observer Ambassador Riyad Mansour, who has observer status at the United Nations, presented the draft resolution to the General Assembly, which received the support of more than two dozen countries.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour said, “Palestine is an important part of universal history and the Palestinian people are an integral part of humanity. “Neither our country nor our people will be lost.”
“But there’s no excuse for ignoring the existential threat they face today.”
He said, despite facing extreme suffering and oppression, the spirit of the Palestinian people is free.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour stressed, “The Palestinian people do not just want to exist, they want to live a good life – they want to feel safe in their homes, they want their children to live without fear, to have a school education. “They really want to be free, as they are in their souls.”
Palestine: We are honored
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said that his delegation is addressing the General Assembly for the first time after the UN General Assembly recently granted some new additional rights and privileges to the State of Palestine.
“I am honored to do this for the first time in the General Assembly,” he said to applause as he presented the draft resolution. “I feel my height rising, as if my height has exceeded the roof of the great hall.”
Israel: ‘This proposal is diplomatic terrorism’
Israeli Ambassador Dana Danon said that on October 7, 2023, despite Hamas unleashing unprecedented terror in Israel, the General Assembly remained silent. It continues to pass “unilateral resolutions against Israel.”
The Israeli ambassador said the draft resolution ignored the facts and made no mention of Hamas, including the October 7 attack. This proposal is politically motivated.
He noted that more than 150 resolutions against Israel have been passed at the United Nations. “This proposal is diplomatic terrorism.”