I have been struggling to try and understand the processes which the UN goes through when it comes to issuing resolutions and sanctions and how they are then implemented.
The reason i started looking at this was because of the sanctions that were applied to Iraq for many years and now the sanctions and resolutions that are being applied against Iran. I began wondering to my self what other countries have resolutions and sanctions against them. I was particularly interested in Israel and Palestine which seems to be the source of so much strife at the moment.
Whilst looking into this i was able to understand the processes involved and the implications of these processes for countries all around the world.
Firstly there are two separate groups within the UN that issue resolutions, the Security Council and then the General Assembly. Within the General Assembly the United States has less power to veto resolutions whilst within the Security Council the United States can veto any resolution it does not like along with other countries.
O.k, so now i looked into how many resolutions there are against Israel and Palestine. I could not find any that are listed against Palestine. I am not quite sure why this is, does this show the complete and utter uselessness of UN resolutions. I mean the fact that Israel and the United States have not attempted to push through any resolutions against Palestine? When i looked at the resolutions against Israel there were many and here they are.
UN General Assembly Resolutions:
1947 November 29: UN General Assembly Resolution 181: the 1947 UN Partition Plan, accepted by Jews and rejected by Arabs, as well as the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, who claimed that the UN had no authority to pass such resolutions
1948 December 11: UN General Assembly Resolution 194: the conditional right of return of Palestinian refugees
1949 May 11: UN General Assembly Resolution 273: admission of Israel to the UN
1975 March 22: UN General Assembly Resolution 3379: equating Zionism with Racism
1991 December 16: UN General Assembly Resolution 4686: annulled Res. 3379
UN Security Council Resolutions:
Resolution 42: The Palestine Question (5 March 1948) Requests recommendations for the Palestine Commission
Resolution 43: The Palestine Question (1 Apr 1948) Recognizes “increasing violence and disorder in Palestine” and requests that representatives of “the Jewish Agency for Palestine and the Arab Higher Committee” arrange, with the Security Council, “a truce between the Arab and Jewish Communities of Palestine…Calls upon Arab and Jewish armed groups in Palestine to cease acts of violence immediately.”
Resolution 44: The Palestine Question (1 Apr 1948) Requests convocation of special session of the General Assembly
Resolution 46: The Palestine Question (17 Apr 1948) As the United Kingdom is the Mandatory Power, “it is responsible for the maintenance of peace and order in Palestine.” The Resolutions also “Calls upon all persons and organizations in Palestine” to stop importing “armed bands and fighting personnel…whatever their origin;…weapons and war materials;…Refrain, pending the future government of Palestine…from any political activity which might prejudice the rights, claims, or position of either community;…refrain from any action which will endanger the safety of the Holy Places in Palestine.”
Resolution 48: The Palestine Question (23 Apr 1948)
Resolution 49: The Palestine Question (22 May 1948)
Resolution 50: The Palestine Question (29 May 1948)
Resolution 53: The Palestine Question (7 Jul 1948)
Resolution 54: The Palestine Question (15 Jul 1948)
Resolution 56: The Palestine Question (19 Aug 1948)
Resolution 57: The Palestine Question (18 Sep 1948)
Resolution 59: The Palestine Question (19 Oct 1948)
Resolution 60: The Palestine Question (29 Oct 1948)
Resolution 61: The Palestine Question (4 Nov 1948)
Resolution 62: The Palestine Question (16 Nov 1948)
Resolution 66: The Palestine Question (29 Dec 1948)
Resolution 72: The Palestine Question (11 Aug 1949)
Resolution 73: The Palestine Question (11 Aug 1949)
Resolution 89 (17 November 1950): regarding Armistice in 1948 Arab-Israeli War and “transfer of persons”.
Resolution 92: The Palestine Question (8 May 1951)
Resolution 93: The Palestine Question (18 May 1951)
Resolution 95: The Palestine Question (1 Sep 1951)
Resolution 100: The Palestine Question (27 Oct 1953)
Resolution 101: The Palestine Question (24 Nov 1953)
Resolution 106: The Palestine Question (29 Mar 1955) ‘condemns’ Israel for Gaza raid.
Resolution 107: The Palestine Question (30 Mar)
Resolution 108: The Palestine Question (8 Sep)
Resolution 111: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people”.
Resolution 127: ” … ‘recommends’ Israel suspends its ‘no-man’s zone’ in Jerusalem”.
Resolution 162: ” … ‘urges’ Israel to comply with UN decisions”.
Resolution 171: ” … determines flagrant violations’ by Israel in its attack on Syria”.
Resolution 228: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control”.
Resolution 237: ” … ‘urges’ Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees”.
Resolution 242 (November 22, 1967): Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area. Calls on Israel’s neighbors to end the state of belligerency and calls upon Israel to reciprocate by withdraw its forces from land claimed by other parties in 1967 war. Interpreted commonly today as calling for the Land for peace principle as a way to resolve Arab-Israeli conflict
Resolution 248: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan”.
Resolution 250: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem”.
Resolution 251: ” … ‘deeply deplores’ Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250″.
Resolution 252: ” … ‘declares invalid’ Israel’s acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital”.
Resolution 256: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli raids on Jordan as ‘flagrant violation”.
Resolution 259: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation”.
Resolution 262: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for attack on Beirut airport”.
Resolution 265: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan”.
Resolution 267: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem”.
Resolution 270: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon”.
Resolution 271: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem”.
Resolution 279: ” … ‘demands’ withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon”.
Resolution 280: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli’s attacks against Lebanon”.
Resolution 285: ” … ‘demands’ immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon”.
Resolution 298: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s changing of the status of Jerusalem”.
Resolution 313: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon”.
Resolution 316: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon”.
Resolution 317: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon”.
Resolution 332: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s repeated attacks against Lebanon”.
Resolution 337: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for violating Lebanon’s sovereignty”.
Resolution 338 (22 October 1973): cease fire in Yom Kippur War
Resolution 339 (23 October 1973): Confirms Res. 338, dispatch UN observers.
Resolution 347: ” … ‘condemns’ Israeli attacks on Lebanon”.
Resolution 425 (1978): ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon”. Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon was completed as of 16 June 2000.
Resolution 350 (31 May 1974) established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the wake of the Yom Kippur War.
Resolution 427: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
Resolution 444: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces”.
Resolution 446 (1979): ‘determines’ that Israeli settlements are a ’serious obstruction’ to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
Resolution 450: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon”.
Resolution 452: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories”.
Resolution 465: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s settlements and asks all member states not to assist Israel’s settlements program”.
Resolution 467: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s military intervention in Lebanon”.
Resolution 468: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return”.
Resolution 469: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s failure to observe the council’s order not to deport Palestinians”.
Resolution 471: ” … ‘expresses deep concern’ at Israel’s failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
Resolution 476: ” … ‘reiterates’ that Israel’s claim to Jerusalem are ‘null and void’”.
Resolution 478 (20 August 1980): ‘censures (Israel) in the strongest terms’ for its claim to Jerusalem in its ‘Basic Law’.
Resolution 484: ” … ‘declares it imperative’ that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors”.
Resolution 487: ” … ’strongly condemns’ Israel for its attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility”.
Resolution 497 (17 December 1981) decides that Israel’s annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights is ‘null and void’ and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith.
Resolution 498: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon”.
Resolution 501: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops”.
Resolution 508:
Resolution 509: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon”.
Resolution 515: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in”.
Resolution 517: ” … ‘censures’ Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
Resolution 518: ” … ‘demands’ that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon”.
Resolution 520: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel’s attack into West Beirut”.
Resolution 573: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel ‘vigorously’ for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
Resolution 587 ” … ‘takes note’ of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw”.
Resolution 592: ” … ’strongly deplores’ the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops”.
Resolution 605: ” … ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
Resolution 607: ” … ‘calls’ on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Resolution 608: ” … ‘deeply regrets’ that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians”.
Resolution 636: ” … ‘deeply regrets’ Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
Resolution 641: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s continuing deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 672: ” … ‘condemns’ Israel for “violence against Palestinians” at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
Resolution 673: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
Resolution 681: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 694: ” … ‘deplores’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
Resolution 726: ” … ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians.
Resolution 799: “. . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for their immediate return.
Resolution 1559 (2 September 2004) called upon Lebanon to establish its sovereignty over all of its land and called upon Syria to end their military presence in Lebanon by withdrawing its forces and to cease intervening in internal Lebanese politics. The resolution also called on all Lebanese militias to disband.
Resolution 1583 (28 January 2005) calls on Lebanon to assert full control over its border with Israel. It also states that “the Council has recognized the Blue Line as valid for the purpose of confirming Israel’s withdrawal pursuant to resolution 425.
Resolution 1648 (21 December 2005) renewed the mandate of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force until 30 June 2006.
Resolution 1701 (11 August 2006) called for the full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
However this is not the full story as there is a massive history of the United States blocking many resolutions that are deemed to be too critical of the Israelis by the UN Security council and there are well over 30 of these. As far as I can understand it most people seem to consider that General Assembly resolutions are non-binding whilst Security Council resolutions are binding.
So i am struggling to understand then that if the UN Security Council resolutions that have made it through are binding, why it is then Israel has not conformed to these resolutions and that has been completely ignored by the Security Council. Why have no sanctions been put in place against Israel in order to make it conform with the resolutions that have been issued against it.
I know that this is a very limited article in its scope but perhaps more knowledgeable people could help by expanding on things that i have said and facts that i do not have.
[...] Original post by Jim [...]
By: » UN resolutions, how effective are they? New Years Resolutions: What’s your new years resolution? on February 7, 2008
at 3:23 pm
Whether or not the USA have a right of veto in the UN Security Council, the Zionist state does not take any notice. Why? Because the USA and its warmongering allies (including the present British government) support that Apartheid state unconditionally, its ‘right’ to ‘defend’ itself against ‘terrorists’. The UN was bypassed and Iraq was invaded: The UN is useless and it must be radically changed (how?) or the rest of the World must find a way of being stronger than ‘The West’ (how?).
The Palestinians are constantly told to ’stop their violence’: They have stopped several times, while their occupier have continued their aggressive colonization. ‘Might is Right’…Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
By: CJL on February 9, 2008
at 5:45 pm
CJL thanks very much for reading and taking the time to leave a comment.
I couldn’t agree more with the jist of what you are saying and i am definitely interested in the possibilities suggested by changing the UN. However, you are right by asking the question how?
I guess the other point is that any changes to the UN system that would make it more efficient would almost certainly do away with the monoply a small group of countries have over the system. This almost certainly means they would not be willing to give that up.
Certainly the answer may lie in the un-developed countries banding together. The truth is that most middle eastern countries are bought an paid for by the Americans as we can see by the presence of their bases however there are clear indications where the others could utilise their power. Iraq, pre-invasion had started trading its oil in Euro’s and not Dollars, Iran is currently trying to do the same thing and funnily enough America is trying to invade them and severing network cables around the country(just supposition). Also in South America we see Chavez implementing inter-trading deals between the south american countries trading directly between each other for oil and euros and food.
I think this is where the solution and power lies, if the african nations, south american nations and those willing and able in the middle east all banded together and started selling and trading all their oil and goods directly to each other and required foreign countries to purchase their oil in Euro’s they could completely remove the power of the Dollar, seriously damage the power of the US and enhance their power around the world.
What do you think about something like that? A good idea or just pie in the sky dreaming. Certainly one way the non-developed countries need to help themselves is by not taking any more loans from the World Bank and the IMF which is basically the West.
By: londonukm on February 9, 2008
at 7:14 pm
Your ideas are the right ones.
We, little people cannot but try and influence as many as possible: I write to as many ‘authorities’ (polititians, the media) as I can and challenge anyone, sign petitions, distribute leaflets etc.. I belong to a Palestine solidarity movement.
I shall keep an eye on this site.
By: CJL on February 13, 2008
at 5:44 pm