UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 74/301: STEERING THE COURSE OF THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT TOWARD PEACE OR PERSISTENCE
Description
On September 17, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 74/301, adopting the text titled “Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." This Resolution calls on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestine within 12 months. 124 states supported the Resolution, while 14 states voted against it, and 43 abstained from voting. The Resolution requires the removal of Israeli soldiers from Palestinian territory, cessation of new settlements, restitution of confiscated land and property, and the potential return of displaced Palestinians. It additionally urges states to take measures to halt arms supplies to Israel when there are "reasonable grounds to anticipate that they may be utilized in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. However, Israel greatly opposed the Resolution. The country, through its foreign Spokesman Oren Marmorstein, stated on X that the Resolution is a distorted decision that is disconnected from reality, encourages terrorism, and harms the chances for peace. This opposition signals a possible disregard for the Resolution. To this end, this paper examines past and present United Nations efforts since the Palestinian hostilities began, the binding effect of the United Nations Resolution 74/301, and what that means for the future of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It finds that although resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly are generally not binding, the mechanisms put in place in the Resolution bring a glimpse of hope amidst the hostilities.