Summary
The General Assembly resolution of 22 November 1974 (note 96/) by which, in the United Nations study’s account, Palestinian rights received full recognition: it reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in Palestine, including self-determination without external interference and national independence and sovereignty, and the inalienable right of the Palestinians to return to their homes and property (Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem: Part II (1947-1977), lines 1066-1096 approx.).
Details
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The study gives the vote as 87 in favour, 8 against, 37 abstentions (lines 1066-1068 approx.).
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Its preamble, as quoted, recognizes that the Palestinian people is entitled to self-determination in accordance with the Charter, expresses grave concern that the Palestinian people has been prevented from enjoying its inalienable rights, in particular its right to self-determination, and recalls the Assembly’s relevant resolutions affirming that right (lines 1070-1076 approx.).
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Paragraph 3 emphasizes that full respect for and the realization of these inalienable rights “are indispensable for the solution of the question of Palestine”; paragraph 4 recognizes that the Palestinian people is a principal party in the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East; paragraph 5 recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to regain its rights by all means in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter; paragraph 6 appeals to all States and international organizations to extend their support to the Palestinian people in its struggle to restore its rights; paragraph 7 requests the Secretary-General to establish contacts with the Palestine Liberation Organization on all matters concerning the question of Palestine (lines 1082-1096 approx.).
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The Assembly simultaneously conferred observer status on the PLO by resolution 3237 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974, whose vote note 97/ gives as 95 in favour, 17 against, 19 abstentions (lines 1096-1098 approx.).
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The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People’s recommendations invoke PLO participation on the basis of resolutions 3236 (XXIX) and 3375 (XXX) as indispensable in all efforts, deliberations and conferences on the Middle East held under United Nations auspices (annex VI, lines 1728-1732 approx.).
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In Part III, the Geneva Declaration on Palestine bases a settlement in part on attainment of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights “as defined by General Assembly resolution 3236 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974”, and resolution ES-7/2, adopted by 112 votes to 7 with 24 abstentions at the seventh emergency special session in July 1980, recalled and reaffirmed resolutions 3236 and 3237 (XXIX) (Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem: Part III (1978-1983), lines 151-157, 391-393).
Related pages
Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem: Part II (1947-1977), Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Right of Return, Self-determination, Palestine Liberation Organization