Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
136. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason Ireland abstained on the UN General Assembly resolution which called on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights in accordance with previous Security Council resolutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53733/23]
View answerOn 9 November, Ireland voted in favour of a resolution on “The Occupied Syrian Golan” at the Fourth Committee. This resolution was approved by a recorded vote of 146 in favour, including Ireland and other EU Members, to 2 against and 23 abstentions. This resolution is scheduled to be voted on again in the UN General Assembly on 7 December. Ireland will again vote in favour of this resolution at the General Assembly.
On 28 November, the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution titled “The Syrian Golan”. This resolution passed by vote on 91 in favour to 8 against, with 62 abstentions. Ireland, along with all other EU Member States, abstained from the vote.
The first resolution mentioned is tabled in the context of Israeli practices and settlements affecting the rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the occupied territories. It is has a solid grounding in international law and uses traditional UN language that is acceptable to the EU.
The second resolution mentioned has a narrower focus and contains geographical references which could undermine the process of negotiation of a just and lasting peace based on a two state solution. For these reasons, and given its strong association with the Assad Regime, EU abstention on this resolution is a longstanding practice.
