The vast majority of the world voted at the UN General Assembly to demand an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory within 12 months, with 124 countries (64%) in favor, 14 (7%) against, and 43 (22%) abstentions.
The General Assembly resolution was based on a July ruling by the top UN legal authority, the International Court of Justice, which stated that “Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful” and that “Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible”.
The countries that voted against the resolution, in effect supporting Israel’s illegal occupation, were the United States, Israel, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Malawi, Papa New Guinea, and Paraguay, plus the tiny Pacific island nations of Fiji, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
These small island countries that consistently echo Washington’s unpopular votes in the UN are essentially unofficial US colonies, and mostly use the US dollar or Australian dollar as their currencies. Together, the six have a combined population of just over 1 million people, making them some of the smallest nations on Earth.
Among the large countries that abstained were India, Australia, Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia.
However, in a break with Washington, a few longtime US allies voted in support of the resolution, most notably Japan, as well as France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.
Several countries did not vote in the September 18 General Assembly session. These include a few nations that would without a doubt have supported the resolution, such as Venezuela, which lost its voting rights because it cannot pay UN membership fees due to illegal Western sanctions. The US and its European allies have stolen billions of dollars of Venezuelan foreign assets and reserves, and Washington has blocked Venezuela from using the US-controlled financial system.
The resolution was not controversial; it simply called for the implementation of a decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s top legal body.
On July 19, the ICJ issued a historic ruling stating:
– the State of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful;
– the State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible;
– the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
– the State of Israel has the obligation to make reparation for the damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
– all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Since war broke out in Gaza in October 2023, Washington has repeatedly vetoed Security Council resolutions that call for peace and a ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden has strongly supported Israel as it has brutally bombed civilians in Gaza, in what UN experts say is a campaign of genocide.
In a press conference in Tel Aviv in October, Biden asserted that “if Israel didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it”, given how strategic the colonial state is for US imperial interests.
Why the fuck did we (Sweden) abstain? What the fuck? Sometimes I hate my government man. This is such a fucking obvious vote.
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At least you’re not sitting in the US looking that this map.
Be happy you’re not one of the red spots in Europe.
Wondering the same. Is there a way to get an official statement? I wanna know what reasons they put forward.
Because Sweden is officially neutral. As much as it sucks sometimes, neutrality means you don’t get to pick and choose which of other countries military acts you weigh in on.
We used to be “neutral” (even though even then the argument was threadbare at best), but then we went and joined NATO. Can hardly call us neutral now. Even outside of that though, neutrality should not mean you can’t call out countries/organisations for doing horrendous shit like war crimes and genocide.
We’ve publicly condemned Russia for the invasion of Ukraine (among other things) and i think China for something else (was it about Taiwan or Hong Kong or something? I don’t recall). There’s no real reason not to do the same with Israel outside of not wanting to anger the US.
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Love being neutral between nazis and their victims
Same for Swiss i guess.
May I say on behalf of a lot of the US: wtf. Vote to end
Seconded. But apparently us saying that one semitic group must stop a genocide against a different semitic group is… checks notes antisemitic.
If the US wanted it to end, there wouldn’t need to be a vote. There would be a phone call and it would end.
Unconditional support of genocide is one of those things everyone in Washington agrees on. It’s just good business
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The US voted to continue (against) Rather than to end (for)
I’m so tired of being the bad guys. (US)
I feel you
Cowardly fuckin Australia
Proud to be Canadian today knowing that we’re on the right side of history once again… by abstaining 🙄
Proud Dutchman standing next to you, feeling fucking ashamed.
As a Swede, i’m right there with you.
UK here, head held low
Same. God i hate this government.
i just don’t know if genocide is bad you know sorry
Always the same map
Honestly it looks pretty different now. Europe is mostly not red.
Hell, even China voted in favour this time
By what measure is India less peripheral than Mongolia or the goddamn Baltics?
I can’t see any reasonable explanation for Korea and Japan not being the same category.
South Korea is literally a US military base disguised as a country. It was a fascist dictatorship for decades, and afterwards it has been ruled by an oligarchy. And it’s 100% lockstep with the US.
Japan… was that yes. It still is in many ways (Okinawa). But it’s also more independent than SK. It’s closer to the Western European countries in its relation to the US.
Germany also has a shit ton of US military bases. But it’s not as peripheral as SK.
Seems pretty obvious to me.
Philippines not mentioned raaa 🇵🇭🙅🇵🇭⛔🇵🇭🚫🇵🇭⛔
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Axis and Allies?
This looks like a weird version of a cold world era map, blue being US and allies, red USSR and allies and yellow non aligned countries. A little bit weird in Africa and south America, but we’re mostly there
Fuck my fascist government for abstaining
I feel disgust that Canada supports the continuation of genocide in Gaza.
They’ll say some nice words about how Israel should be nice, and then change nothing. And if the Conservatives get in they’ll abandon the nice words.
Do any of these UN votes actually mean anything? Like Israel can do what they want regardless right? There’s nothing to enforce this.
Do any of these UN votes actually mean anything?
In terms of actual change, no, not really. But when most of the world condemns what you’re doing and you still continue it weakens their soft power. Countries are less likely to trade with them, less likely to help defend them if they’re invaded, etc. But, yeah, all this is is them saying “I’m mad at you for doing this and not stopping when we ask you to.”
Like Israel can do what they want regardless right? There’s nothing to enforce this.
This is true.
It does mean something. It may not have enforcement teeth, as it is a strictly diplomatic body. However, it still illustrates the state of things and has an impact on international relations.
50 no votes essentially, cruel bastards.
pussy-ass colonies
Wtf Czechia? 🙄
Czechia has been a pretty strong supporter of Israel going back to delivering arms for their war of independence.
Kudos to Ben Norton. Great work there. Please donate.
i wonder what country votes most in line with the majority vote in UN general assembly
