Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) [on cessation of Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem]
Symbol: S/RES/2334 (2016)
Date: 2016-12-23
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/71 [53] TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL
S/71 [50] PALESTINE QUESTION
S/71 [54] MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
S/ X The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
Subjects: TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL|SETTLEMENT POLICY|ISRAEL|PALESTINE QUESTION|MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 1
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: EGYPT
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: NEW ZEALAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SENEGAL
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: UKRAINE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: abstention
country: URUGUAY
vote: yes
country: VENEZUELA (BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF)
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                 S/RES/2334 (2016)
               Security Council                                               Distr.: General
                                                                              23 December 2016




               Resolution 2334 (2016)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7853rd meeting, on
               23 December 2016

                    The Security Council,
                    Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967),
               338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397
               (2002), 1515 (2003), and 1850 (2008),
                     Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
               and reaffirming, inter alia, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by
               force,
                     Reaffirming the obligation of Israel, the occupying Power, to abide
               scrupulously by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva
               Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of
               12 August 1949, and recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the
               International Court of Justice,
                     Condemning all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition,
               character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East
               Jerusalem, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of settlements,
               transfer of Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of homes and
               displacement of Palestinian civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law
               and relevant resolutions,
                      Expressing grave concern that continuing Israeli settlement activities are
               dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967
               lines,
                     Recalling the obligation under the Quartet Roadmap, endorsed by its
               resolution 1515 (2003), for a freeze by Israel of all settlement activity, including
               “natural growth”, and the dismantlement of all settlement outposts erected since
               March 2001,
                    Recalling also the obligation under the Quartet roadmap for the Palestinian
               Authority Security Forces to maintain effective operations aimed at confronting all
               those engaged in terror and dismantling terrorist capabilities, including the
               confiscation of illegal weapons,



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                     Condemning all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as
               well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction,
                    Reiterating its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and
               Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,
                     Stressing that the status quo is not sustainable and that significant steps,
               consistent with the transition contemplated by prior agreements, are urgently needed
               in order to (i) stabilize the situation and to reverse negative trends on the ground,
               which are steadily eroding the two-State solution and entrenching a one-State
               reality, and (ii) to create the conditions for successful final status negotiations and
               for advancing the two-State solution through those negotiations and on the ground,
                     1.   Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the
               Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal
               validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major
               obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and
               comprehensive peace;
                     2.    Reiterates its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all
               settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem,
               and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard;
                     3.    Underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967
               lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties
               through negotiations;
                    4.    Stresses that the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities is essential
               for salvaging the two-State solution, and calls for affirmative steps to be taken
               immediately to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are imperilling the
               two-State solution;
                     5.     Calls upon all States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to
               distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and
               the territories occupied since 1967;
                     6.   Calls for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians,
               including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, calls for
               accountability in this regard, and calls for compliance with obligations under
               international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to comba t terrorism,
               including through existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of
               terrorism;
                     7.   Calls upon both parties to act on the basis of international law, including
               international humanitarian law, and their previous agreements and obligations, to
               observe calm and restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and
               inflammatory rhetoric, with the aim, inter alia, of de -escalating the situation on the
               ground, rebuilding trust and confidence, demonstrating through polici es and actions
               a genuine commitment to the two-State solution, and creating the conditions
               necessary for promoting peace;
                    8.   Calls upon all parties to continue, in the interest of the promotion of
               peace and security, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all




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           final status issues in the Middle East peace process and within the time frame
           specified by the Quartet in its statement of 21 September 2010;
                 9.    Urges in this regard the intensification and acceleration of international
           and regional diplomatic efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay a
           comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant
           United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of
           land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Roadmap and an end to the
           Israeli occupation that began in 1967; and underscores in this regard the importance
           of the ongoing efforts to advance the Arab Peace Initiative, the initiative of France
           for the convening of an international peace conference, the recent efforts of the
           Quartet, as well as the efforts of Egypt and the Russian Federation;
                10. Confirms its determination to support the parties throughout the
           negotiations and in the implementation of an agreement;
                11. Reaffirms its determination to examine practical ways and means to
           secure the full implementation of its relevant resolutions;
               12. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three
           months on the implementation of the provisions of the present resolution;
                13.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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