United Nations General Assembly Session Ends Without Action on Jerusalem Issue

The United Nations General Assembly concluded its fifth plenary session during the weekend without coming to any definite decision on the status of Jerusalem. It thus left on record the 1949 resolution which provides for the internationalization of the Jerusalem area, but took no action to implement this resolution.

The failure of the Assembly to reach any conclusive decision on the Jerusalem issue resulted from the failure of a Belgian resolution–opposed by the United States, Britain, Israel and other countries–to obtain the necessary two-thirds majority. The vote was 30 to 18, with nine abstentions. The Arab bloc and the pro-Catholic countries of Latin America were among those who voted for the Belgian resolution. The Belgian proposal would have called for further study of international means of protecting religious interests and Holy Places in Jerusalem.

A statement issued by the Israel delegation following the defeat of the Belgian proposal declared: “The defeat of the resolution, coming after the report of the Trusteeship Council that internationalization of Jerusalem is impractical, is welcome evidence that the international community does not desire to impose a regime on the people of Jerusalem against their will. It is clear that the United Nations’ responsiblities to give expression to the unique universal interest in Jerusalem can be effectively discharged only in an atmosphere of agreement and cooperation.

“The Assembly did not utilize the valuable opportunity that was offered at this session by the agreement of Israel and Jordan on a practical plan for Holy Places, which was embodied in the modified Swedish resolution. It never came to a vote in the committee or the plenary. The Government of Israel will continue to do its utmost to preserve the Holy Places and to guarantee religious rights throughout the territory of Israel.”