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Fatah: US blackmailed countries at the UN to vote against Palestine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen Net
31 Dec 2022 23:16

The member of the Fatah Central Committee says that the UN resolution to refer "Israel" to the criminal court is highly important.

Ahmed Halas, member of Fatah Central Committee in an interview on Al-Mayadeen.

Member of the Fatah Central Committee, Ahmed Halas, said in an interview with Al-Mayadeen on Saturday that, "the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to refer 'Israel' to criminal prosecution is of great importance."

Halas emphasized that "the Palestinian position is the only thing capable of putting an end to the Israeli aggression," stressing that "the international community is a catalyst."

The official added that the "American role in the United Nations is more hostile than the Israeli position towards the Palestinian cause."

ما مدى أهميّة أن تحصل دولة #فلسطين على تصويت الجمعيّة العامة لـ #الأمم_المتحدة لتفعيل دور محكمة العدل الدوليّة في قضايا الاحتلال؟

عضو اللجنة المركزيّة في حركة فتح أحمد حلّس لـ #الميادين.@Kamalkhalaf17 pic.twitter.com/K7kO6bLuiL
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 31, 2022

He also pointed out that the "United States exerted pressure and blackmail against many countries to prevent them from voting in favor of the resolution."

"The time has come to stop talking about Palestinian national unity," and "we must move to practical steps, away from who will achieve more gains, and the signed unity agreements carry the same content," Halas added.

Earlier today, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution requesting an opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal implications of “Israel's” illegal occupation of Palestine and its "practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people," despite the occupation’s strained efforts to incite and lure several countries in order to prevent the ICJ's advisory opinion.

Last week, the resolution, titled “Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories,” was approved by the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee with 98 votes in favor, 17 votes against, and 52 abstentions.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), situated in The Hague and commonly known as the World Court, is the highest UN court dealing with international issues. Its decisions are binding, but the ICJ has no authority to enforce them.

The resolution was passed by the General Assembly by a vote of 87 to 26 with 53 abstentions. Russia and China voted in favor of the resolution.

Unsurprisingly, “Israel”, the United States, and 24 of their allies voted against the resolution, most notably the United Kingdom and Germany, while France was one of the 53 nations that abstained.

It is worth noting that the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the "legal consequences of Israeli occupation, settlement, and annexation - including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures.”