UNGA to Israel: Stop exploiting Palestinian resources
At issue in particular in the resolution was Israeli use of water, natural gas and land, and its failure to allow the Palestinians to develop those resources for their own needs.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFA Palestinian girl drinks from a public tap at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip(photo credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/ REUTERS)
Israel must reimburse the Palestinians for its use of natural resources in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, the UN General Assembly said Wednesday in a resolution that passed 163 to 6, with 11 abstentions.It is the second day in a row the General Assembly has passed a pro-Palestinian resolution. The text also called on Israel to halt such activity on the Golan Heights.At issue in particular was Israeli use of water, natural gas and land, and its failure to allow the Palestinians to develop those resources for their own needs.Israel must “bring a halt to all actions, including those perpetrated by Israeli settlers, harming the environment, including the dumping of all kinds of waste materials” in territory over the pre-1967 lines, the resolution said.It called on Israel to halt its destruction of “vital infrastructure, including water pipelines, sewage networks and electricity networks, and to cease its demolition and confiscation of Palestinian homes and civilian infrastructure, agricultural lands and water wells.”The General Assembly member states also took issue with Israel’s construction of the West Bank security barrier, which it said prevents the Palestinians from accessing their natural resources.Separately, it asked Israel to halt settlement activity, including its actions in east Jerusalem.The resolution stated that Israel must “cease immediately and completely all policies and measures aimed at the alteration of the character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.”
