UN: Palestinians Must Have Control Over Natural Resources

The United Nations General Assembly voted 159 in favor of allowing Palestinian people sovereignty over their natural resources.

RELATED: Palestine:
Three Killed And 40 Wounded by Israeli Repression

The vote came Friday during a UN Second Committee meeting among member nations, seven of which opposed the measure, and 13 abstained. The General Assembly elected unanimously to let occupied Palestinian territories, including occupied East Jerusalem and the Arab population in Syrian Golan, to control their natural resources.

The resolution reads that Palestinian sovereignty over their land and water is necessary under the Geneva Convention. It notes that the Israeli government’s construction of the apartheid wall, seizure of Palestinian land, the diversion of water resources, and the destruction of crops, are having tremendous negative economic, social and health consequences on residents there.

The resolution also affirmed Palestine’s right to demand reparations for the already incurred losses.

The U.N. body also said Israeli’s sacking of natural resources from Palestine have jeopardized sustainable development in the state.

Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said that the resolution is powerful in that world leaders affirm Israel’s expropriation of lands, depletion of water resources and other acts of aggression against Palestinians in occupied territories. He added, "No matter how long the Israelis exist, the Palestinian right of sovereignty shall be never denied."

A 2017 U.N. report said that Gaza continues to suffer from the effects of the 2014 military conflict that has left 23 percent of residents without sewage connections, and two million without electricity on a regular basis, and destroyed 300 water wells.

Israel occupation of Gaza allows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to control gas reserves off its coast depriving the Palestinian economy of billions in gas revenues and dependent on Israel for gas supplies, according to The Independent.