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A/RES/51/26 GA

Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine

51
Session
152
Yes
2
No
4
Abstentions
Draft symbol A/51/L.36
Adopted symbol A/RES/51/26
Category POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUESTIONS
Voeten Topics
P5 Positions
Russia United States United Kingdom China France
UN Document A/RES/51/26 ↗

Vote Recorded VoteA/51/PV.72 Dec. 4, 1996

— Abstain (4)
✗ No (2)
Absent (27)
✓ Yes (152)
Speeches following this vote (20) may include explanations of vote
The President
Before calling on the first speaker in explanation of vote after the vote, may I remind delegations
Mr. Robinson (United States of America)
My Government opposes the four resolutions that have been introduced under agenda item 35, entitled “Question of Palestine”. These resolutions are remnants of an earlier time, which has been overtaken by events on the ground in the Middle East. Three of these draft resolutions, contained in documents A/51/L.33, A/51/L.34 and A/51/L.35 and their addenda, promote institutions whose activities and a…
Mr. Abou-Hadid (Syrian Arab Republic)
My delegation voted for the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.36, entitled “Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine”. However, our vote in favour of the draft resolution does not mean that we support or reject the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or the Israeli- Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, signed by the P…
The President
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote after the vote. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 35. The situation in the Middle East Reports of the Secretary-General (A/51/543, A/51/678-S/1996/953) Draft resolutions (A/51/L.38, A/51/L.39 and A/51/L.40)
The President
I now call on the representative of Egypt to introduce draft resolutions A/51/L.38 and A/51/L.39.
Mr. Rahman Salah (Egypt)
The Egyptian delegation has the honour this year of submitting to the General Assembly draft resolution A/51/L.38 on Jerusalem. This draft resolution normally enjoys the support of the members of the General Assembly, as it recalls the responsibility of the international community towards the city of Jerusalem and reiterates the need for the implementation of all Security Council resolutions per…
The President
We shall now proceed to consider draft resolutions A/51/L.38, A/51/L.39 and A/51/L.40. I shall now call on those representatives wishing to make statements in explanation of vote before the voting. May I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Moubarak (Lebanon)
I should like to explain Lebanon’s vote on the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.40, entitled “Middle East peace process”. First, despite the fact that the sponsors of the draft resolution have admitted that no progress has been made in this process since the item was discussed last year, expressing no satisfaction in that regard, they have ignored the general conclusion reached by a…
Mr. Izquierdo (Ecuador)
Once again, I should like to state that the delegation of Ecuador feels it essential to support and encourage full implementation of the peace process in the Middle East, in keeping with the Madrid Peace Conference on 1991 and to make an effective contribution to strengthening the bilateral and multilateral negotiating mechanisms now under way. In this connection, we also support the parties invo…
Mr. Tanç (Türkiye)
My explanation of vote concerns draft resolution A/51/L.39. Although Turkey will support the draft resolution, I would like to clarify the position of my delegation on one aspect of the situation in the Middle East. There are several reasons that have caused the current impasse in the peace process. It is not fair to assign all responsibility to one of those variables or to one of the countries …
The President
I have received requests to speak from the representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation. Earlier, the assumption was that the requests related to statements in explanation of vote before the voting. However, it has now been explained that the requests by Syria and the Russian Federation have to do with an effort to submit an amendment to a draft resolution. I would advi…
Mr. Dlamini (Eswatini)
I was getting confused when suddenly the President stopped convening and presiding over the Assembly. However, in support of the President’s comments, my delegation objects with regard to amending draft resolutions on which action is already being taken. When If an amendment comes at the eleventh hour, are you sure beyond a shadow of a doubt, Mr. President, that when we vote we shall be taking …
The President
This is the General Assembly, not the Security Council. We have no veto power here. I am sure that the Assembly has taken the point of view of the delegation of Swaziland into account.
Mr. Abou-Hadid (Syrian Arab Republic)
My delegation would like to thank you most earnestly, Mr. President, for clearing up the confusion caused by the Secretariat. My delegation requests that a slight amendment be made to draft resolution A/51/L.39, before the voting and explanations of vote. The Secretariat misunderstood, because my delegation was already on the list to explain its vote before the vote, which is how the mistake happ…
Mr. Lavrov (Russian Federation)
I asked to speak, Mr. President, in order to explain my vote and not to submit an amendment. I am In connection with the oral amendment just proposed by the representative of Syria on behalf of the sponsors of draft resolution A/51/L.39, namely the amendment to operative paragraph 5, which would now begin with the words “Calls for the resumption of the talks ...”, I would like to point out that …
The President
I hope the matter is quite clear to all delegates here. I am not trying to play on words, but I am advised that what has been proposed is an oral revision, as distinct from an amendment, and if all the sponsors — Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Uni…
Mr. Dlamini (Eswatini)
Yes, the sins are forgiven. I am comfortable now.
The President
I am glad that we are no longer sinners. We shall now proceed. Syria still has a request to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.
Mr. Abou-Hadid (Syrian Arab Republic)
My delegation will vote against draft resolution A/51/L.40, entitled “Middle East peace process”, for the following reasons. We have tried to convince the sponsors of the draft resolution of the need for the text to reflect the status quo in the peace process, the obstacles raised by the Israeli Government at the moment, as well as its non-compliance with the principles underlined at the Madrid C…
The President
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote before the voting. We have also heard the oral revision made with the consent of the sponsors. I will read out the oral revision to operative paragraph 5 of draft resolution A/51/L.39: “Calls for the resumption of the talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and respects the commitments and guarantees reached during the previous talks.” The …
Full text of resolution OCR extract — may contain errors
UNITED UNITED A NATIONS NATIONS General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/RES/51/26 12 December 1996 Fifty-first session Agenda item 35 RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [without reference to a Main Committee (A/51/L.36 and Add.1)] 51/26. Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine The General Assembly, Recalling its relevant resolutions, Recalling also the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General1 submitted pursuant to the request made in its resolution 50/84 D of 15 December 1995, Convinced that achieving a final and peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is imperative for the attainment of a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, Aware that the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples is among the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Affirming the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war, Affirming also the illegality of the Israeli settlements in the territory occupied since 1967 and of Israeli actions aimed at changing the status of Jerusalem, 1 A/51/678-S/1996/953. 96-77569 /... A/RES/51/26 Page 2 Affirming once again the right of all States in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders, Aware of the mutual recognition between the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people, and the signing by the two parties of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements2 in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, as well as the subsequent implementation agreements, including the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip signed in Washington, D.C., on 28 September 1995, Noting with satisfaction the withdrawal of the Israeli army, which took place in the Gaza Strip and the Jericho area in accordance with the agreements reached by the parties, and the initiation of the Palestinian Authority in those areas, as well as the beginning of the redeployment of the Israeli army in the rest of the West Bank, Noting also with satisfaction the successful holding of the first Palestinian general elections, Aware that the United Nations has participated as a full, extraregional participant in the work of the multilateral working groups of the Middle East peace process, Noting the establishment of the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories and its positive contribution, Welcoming the convening of the Conference to Support Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C., on 1 October 1993, and all follow-up meetings, Concerned over the serious difficulties facing the Middle East peace process and the deterioration of the socio-economic conditions of the Palestinian people as a result of the Israeli positions and measures, 1. Reaffirms the necessity of achieving a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine, the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, in all its aspects; 2. Expresses its full support for the ongoing peace process which began in Madrid and the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements2 of 1993, as well as the subsequent implementation agreements, including the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of 1995, and expresses the hope that the process will lead to the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East; 3. Stresses the necessity for the immediate and scrupulous implementation of the agreements reached between the parties and the commencement of the negotiations on the final settlement; 4. Calls upon the concerned parties, the co-sponsors of the peace process and the entire international community to exert all the necessary efforts to ensure the success of the peace process; 2 A/48/486-S/26560, annex. /... A/RES/51/26 Page 3 5. Stresses the need for: (a) The realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination; (b) The withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967; 6. Also stresses the need for resolving the problem of the Palestine refugees in conformity with its resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948; 7. Urges Member States to expedite the provision of economic and technical assistance to the Palestinian people during this critical period; 8. Emphasizes the importance for the United Nations to play a more active and expanded role in the current peace process and in the implementation of the Declaration of Principles; 9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts with the parties concerned, and in consultation with the Security Council, for the promotion of peace in the region and to submit progress reports on developments in this matter. 72nd plenary meeting 4 December 1996
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