FLUSHING MEADOW: The United Nations General Assembly tonight [Dec 10] voted in favour of placing Jerusalem under a permanent international regime. It also decided that the international administration should be placed under whatever authority the Trus­t­­eeship Council decided. The General Asse­m­­bly said the term “City of Jerusalem” shou­­ld include the present municipality of Jer­­­usa­lem plus the surrounding villages and towns.

The Assembly also decided to ask the Trusteeship Council to complete at its next session (which is thought to be in January) a statute for Jerusalem which will bring in the principle laid down in the paragraphs of the resolution so far agreed. The Assembly also called upon the Trusteeship Council to oppose any action taken by any interested government to divert it from implementing the statute of Jerusalem, as provided by the United Nations.

Voting was 39 in favour, 14 against and 6 abstentions. The vote was taken in a crowded Assembly Hall after the most concentrated back-stage attempts to sway the final outcome, in which the United States played a big part.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2024