A member of the security forces walks past an Israeli police station in Sderot after it was damaged during battles to dislodge Hamas militants who were stationed inside, on 8 October 8, 2023. Photo: RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP
Seven Pacific Islands Forum members of the United Nations General Assembly have opposed a Palestinian-drafted resolution that has demanded "Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territoryend...within 12-months".
The UNGA voted overwhemingly for the resolution, with 124 countries voted in favour of the resolution, including Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands.
But Fiji, Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tuvalu and Tonga voted against it.
In total, 14 countries opposed the motion, while 43 abstained, including Australia, Samoa, Kiribati and Vanuatu.
The resolution calls for Israel to comply with international law and withdraw its military forces, immediately cease all new settlement activity, evacuate all settlers from occupied land, and dismantle parts of the separation wall it constructed inside the occupied West Bank, UN said.
Many Pacific nations have been the recipients of development aid from Israel in recent years.
"New Zealand's yes vote is fundamentally a signal of our strong support for international law and the need for a two-state solution," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
However, Peters said New Zealand held concerns about aspects of the text of resolution.
"This resolution was not perfect, and New Zealand has explained clearly at the United Nations...our reservations with aspects of the text.
"For example, the resolution's 12-month timeframe for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian Territory is frankly unrealistic.
"We are also disappointed that the resolution goes beyond what was envisaged in the advisory opinion in some respects," he added.
UN General Assembly adopts resolution demanding that Israel brings to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory without delay and within the next 12 months. 19 September 2024 Photo: X / @UN