Sri Lanka has joined 150 other countries in supporting a United Nations resolution affirming the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
The resolution was approved by the United Nations General Assembly’s Second Committee on November 11, 2026, with 151 countries voting in favour, seven against and 11 abstaining.
The seven countries that opposed the resolution were the United States, Israel, Colombia, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Paraguay.
Sri Lanka voted in favour alongside several major countries, including India, China and the United Kingdom.
The resolution, titled Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, reaffirms the rights of people living under occupation to control and benefit from their natural resources.
It also addresses concerns over the exploitation, damage and depletion of natural resources in the occupied territories, including land and water resources.
The resolution calls on Israel, as the occupying power, to cease activities involving the exploitation or destruction of Palestinian natural resources and recognises the Palestinians’ right to seek compensation for losses caused by such activities.
The vote reflects broad international support for Palestinian economic rights and sovereignty amid continuing concerns over conditions in the occupied territories.
Sri Lanka has maintained longstanding support for Palestinian self-determination and a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The resolution was approved at the committee stage and will proceed to the full UN General Assembly for final consideration.
The resolution is not legally binding but carries political significance as an expression of the position of UN member states on Palestinian rights and natural resources. (Newswire)
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