Netanyahu slams “despicable” UN vote on Palestine

Tel Aviv [Israel], January 2 (ANI): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the United Nations General Assembly Saturday for a resolution passed the previous day to refer Israel’s “occupation… of Palestinian territory” to the International Court of Justice, reported Times of Israel.

“The despicable decision of the UN will not bind the Israeli government under my leadership. The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land and are not conquerors in our victorious capital Jerusalem. No UN resolution will distort this historical truth,” tweeted Netanyahu. He also accused the global body of “distorting historical facts” and declaring that the Jewish people cannot be “an occupier” in its own land.

Notably, the draft resolution ‘Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem’ was adopted by a recorded vote on Friday, with 87 votes in favour, 26 against and 53 abstentions, including India.

It also called for an investigation into Israeli measures “aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem” and says Israel has adopted “discriminatory legislation and measures.”

“Like hundreds of the twisted decisions against Israel taken by the UNGA over the years, today’s despicable decision will not bind the Israeli government. The Jewish nation is not an occupier in its own land and its own eternal capital, Jerusalem,” he said, adding that “no UN decision can distort the historical facts.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also called the UN vote “anti-Israeli,” tweeting that it “lends support to terrorist organizations (and) the antisemitic (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement contravening the agreed-upon principles of the UN itself.”

“This latest initiative is another mistake by the Palestinian leadership which for years has supported and incited terror and leads its people in a manner that harms Palestinians themselves and any potential end to the conflict,” Cohen said, reported The Times of Israel.

Meanwhile, a Haaretz report on Saturday said that the government has not yet decided whether it would comply with the ICJ investigation.

The report also said that the government is concerned that any findings from an ICJ investigation would be used by the Palestinian Authority to attack Israel further in international bodies, including attempts to impose sanctions on the country.
Following the UNGA vote, the ICJ will begin to produce an advisory opinion report, a process that is expected to take some time, likely at least a year.

Prior to that, the ICJ will call for a public submission of opinions, which will be taken into consideration in the final report, followed by a public hearing procedure.
The case may also be escalated to the International Criminal Court, which is capable of making legally binding decisions, reported The Times of Israel.

Jerusalem has previously argued that the court doesn’t have jurisdiction over it since Israel isn’t a member of the court and hasn’t ratified its Rome Statute. But the ICC ruled last year that it has jurisdiction in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem since it accepted Palestine as a member state in 2015.