(Web Desk) – The United Nations has adopted a resolution affirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination on Tuesday.
According to the report, a total of 164 countries voted in favour, while 8 countries opposed the resolution, and 9 nations abstained from voting.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, noting that settlement activity in the West Bank has reached record levels this year.
The resolution highlights the international community’s continued support for Palestinian rights and emphasises the need for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Just two days ago, on December 14, Israel’s parliament approved a resolution granting legal status to 19 Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a move that drew immediate condemnation from the Palestinian Authority. According to foreign media reports, the resolution was presented by right-wing finance and defence ministers.
The Palestinian Authority described the Israeli action as a step toward the “destruction of Palestine”, accusing Israel of attempting to consolidate annexation, enforce racial discrimination, and strengthen its control over Palestinian territories.
The decision comes amid ongoing tensions in the region, raising concerns about the prospects for peace and the viability of a two-state solution.
Palestinian leaders have warned that such measures undermine efforts to achieve a fair and lasting resolution to the decades-long conflict.
Earlier, AFP reported the Israeli military said it would “temporarily” suspend a strike planned for Saturday that was intended to target what it described as Hezbollah military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
A November 2024 ceasefire sought to end over a year of fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, which broke out after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
But Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from rearming.
The Israeli military issued a warning earlier on Saturday announcing an imminent strike and warning people in the Yanuh area of south Lebanon to evacuate immediately.
But later Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said, “The strike was temporarily suspended,” adding that the military “continues to monitor the target.”
The suspension came after the Lebanese army “requested access again to the specified site… and to address the breach of the agreement,” he said on X.
Adraee added that the military would “not allow” Hezbollah to “redeploy or rearm”.
The year-old ceasefire monitoring mechanism includes the United Nations, the United States and France.
A Lebanese security source said the army had previously tried to search the building that the Israeli military wanted to target but could not because of objections from residents.
But the source told AFP that the Lebanese army was able to enter and search the building after returning a second time because residents “felt threatened”, adding that they were evacuated over fears of a strike.
