The ongoing 10th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted an important resolution, affirming the recent advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on 19 July 2024 that declared the occupation of Israel on the Occupied Palestinian Territories illegal. The resolution was tabled by Palestine, and was co-sponsored by 53 countries, including Bangladesh. The adoption was through a vote, with 124 countries in favour and 14 against, with 43 abstentions. As a co-sponsor, Bangladesh voted in favour.
The resolution, in light of the recent ICJ verdict, calls upon Israel to end its unlawful presence in the Palestine, the first step of which to end its military campaign in Gaza. The resolution also calls for, among others, the establishment of an international mechanism for reparation for all damage, loss or injury arising from the internationally wrongful acts of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It also requests the UN Secretary-General to present a report on the implementation of the resolution. The resolution also calls for ensuring accountability for the atrocity crimes committed by Israel, especially in light of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians. Through adopting the resolution, the General Assembly has also decided to hold an international conference within one year on Palestine, with the objective to find out ways and means to establish an independent Palestinian state. In general, the resolution is being considered as an important step towards achieving solution of the Middle East crisis through implementing the two-state solution.
During the debate in the General Assembly , Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, delivered Bangladesh’s national statement. Ambassador Muhith welcomed the advisory opinion of the of the International Court of Justice as a historic one, and called upon all member states to abide by this. He also expressed Bangladesh’s grave concern about the ongoing atrocities and high death toll in Gaza, and called for an immediate ceasefire referring to the UN Security Council resolution 2728. He emphasized that the two-state solution, based on the pre-1967 border of the Palestinian state, is the only pathway for achieving sustainable peace in the Middle East. Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN also appreciated the roles of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court in the process of ensuring accountability of illegal occupation and mass atrocity crimes in Occupied Palestinian Territories. He appreciated the UN Secretary-General and UN Human Right High Commissioner’s statements concerning the grave humanitarian and human rights situation in Gaza.