Tonga joined six other Pacific Islands Forum members in voting against a Palestinian-drafted resolution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) calling for Israel to end its “unlawful presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territories within 12 months. Alongside Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Tuvalu, Tonga opposed the resolution, which received overwhelming global support.
The UNGA vote saw 124 countries, including fellow Pacific nations Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands, supporting the resolution. Fourteen countries, including Tonga, voted against, while 43 abstained, among them Australia, Samoa, Kiribati, and Vanuatu.
The resolution demands Israel comply with international law by withdrawing military forces, halting settlement activities, and dismantling parts of the separation wall in the West Bank.
Many Pacific nations, including Tonga, have received development aid from Israel, which has shaped foreign policy decisions in the region. The resolution’s critics argue the 12-month timeframe for Israeli withdrawal is unrealistic.
New Zealand, which voted in favor, cited its commitment to international law and a two-state solution but expressed concerns about certain aspects of the resolution’s text. Tonga’s opposition highlights the complexities of Pacific diplomacy at the UN.
Source: RNZ
