United Nations General Assembly Resolution 303

United Nations resolution adopted in 1949

38 voted for

14 voted against

7 abstained

ResultAdopted

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 303, adopted on 9 December 1949 by a vote of 38 to 14 (with 7 abstentions), restated the United Nations' support for a Corpus separatum in Jerusalem. Notably the voting pattern was significantly different from that of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine vote two years earlier, with many states swapping sides. In particular, all the Arab and Muslim countries voted for the corpus separatum, having voted against the 1947 plan; conversely the United States and Israel voted against the corpus separatum, having previously supported it.

The outcome of the vote was "even more decisive than the vote for the Partition Plan itself".^[1]

Background

In July 1920, at the San Remo conference, a Class "A" League of Nations mandates over Palestine was allocated to the British. On 29 November 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending "to the United Kingdom, as the mandatory Power for Palestine, and to all other Members of the United Nations the adoption and implementation, with regard to the future government of Palestine, of the Plan of Partition with Economic Union" as Resolution 181 (II).^[2] The plan contained a proposal to terminate the British Mandate for Palestine and partition Palestine into "independent Arab and Jewish States and the Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem." On 14 May 1948, the day on which the British Mandate over Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved a proclamation which declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.^[3]

On 11 May 1949, Israel was admitted to membership in the United Nations.^[4]

Early in December 1949, Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital, despite controlling only West Jerusalem, with East Jerusalem (including the Old City) being controlled by Transjordan.

The resolution

The full text of the Resolution:

Having regard to its resolutions 181 (11) of 29 November 1947 and 194 (111) of 11 December 1948,
Having studied the reports of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine set up under the latter resolution,
I. Decides
In relation to Jerusalem,
Believing that the principles underlying its previous resolutions concerning this matter, and in particular its resolution of 29 November 1947, represent a just and equitable settlement of the question,

1. To restate, therefore, its intention that Jerusalem should be placed under a permanent international regime, which should envisage appropriate guarantees for the protection of the Holy Places, both within and outside Jerusalem and to confirm specifically the following provisions of General Assembly resolution 181 (II): (1) The City of Jerusalem shall be established as a corpus separatum under a special international regime and shall be administered by the United Nations; (2) The Trusteeship Council shall be designated to discharge the responsibilities of the Administering Authority . . . ; and (3) The City of Jerusalem shall include the present municipality of Jerusalem plus the surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be Abu Dis; the most southern, Bethlehem; the most western, Ein Karim (including also the built-up area of Motsa); and the most northern., Shu'fat, as indicated on the attached sketch-map (annex B)(2) ;

2. To request for this purpose that the Trusteeship Council at its next session, whether special or regular, complete the preparation of the Statute of Jerusalem (T/118/Rev. 2), omitting the now inapplicable provisions, such as articles 32 and 39, and, without prejudice to the fundamental principles of the international regime for Jerusalem set forth in General Assembly resolution 181 (II) introducing therein amendments in the direction of its greater democratization, approve the Statute, and proceed immediately with its implementation. The Trusteeship Council shall not allow any actions taken by any interested Government or Governments to divert it from adopting and implementing the Statute of Jerusalem;

II. Calls upon the States concerned, to make formal undertakings, at an early date and in the light of their obligations as Members of the United Nations, that they will approach these matters with good will, and be guided by the terms of the present resolution.
Notes:
(1) UN Doc. A11245, December 10, 1949. Back
(2) Map is omitted. Back

Response

Israel

Voting record for Resolution 303(IV)

	Voting in parts								Whole resolution
	In relation to Jerusalem, Believing that the principles underlying its previous resolutions concerning this matter, and in particular its resolution of 29 November 1947, represent a just and equitable settlement of the question, 1. To restate, therefore, its intention that Jerusalem should be placed under a permanent international regime, which should envisage appropriate guarantees for the protection of the Holy Places, both within and outside Jerusalem and to confirm specifically the following provisions of General Assembly resolution 181	(1) The City of Jerusalem shall be established as a corpus separatum under a special international regime and shall be administered by the United Nations;	(2) The Trusteeship Council shall be designated to discharge the responsibilities of the Administering Authority	(3) The City of Jerusalem shall include the present municipality of Jerusalem plus the surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be Abu Dis; the most southern, Bethlehem ; the most western, Ein Karim (including also the built-up area of Motsa); and the most northern., Shu'fat, as indicated on the attached sketch-map (annex B)(2) ;	2. To request for this purpose that the Trusteeship Council at its next session, whether special or regular, complete the preparation of the Statute of Jerusalem (T/118/Rev. 2), omitting the now inapplicable provisions, such as articles 32 and 39, and, without prejudice to the fundamental principles of the international regime for Jerusalem set forth in General Assembly resolution 181 (II) introducing therein amendments in the direction of its greater democratization, approve the Statute	and proceed immediately with its implementation.	The Trusteeship Council shall not allow any actions taken by any interested Government or Governments to divert it from adopting and implementing the Statute of Jerusalem;	II. Calls upon the States concerned, to make formal undertakings, at an early date and in the light of their obligations as Members of the United Nations, that they will approach these matters with good will, and be guided by the terms of the present resolution.	Whole resolution
Afghanistan	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Argentina	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Australia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Belgium	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Bolivia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Brazil	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Burma Burma	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Byelorussian SSR	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Canada	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Chile	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
China	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Colombia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Costa Rica	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Cuba	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Czechoslovakia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Denmark	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Dominican Republic	In favour	In favour	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
Ecuador	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Egypt Egypt	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
El Salvador	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Ethiopia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
France	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Greece Greece	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Guatemala	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Haiti	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Honduras	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
Iceland	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
India	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Iran	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Iraq	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Israel	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Lebanon	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Liberia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Luxembourg	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Mexico	In favour	In favour	In favour	Abstaining	Abstaining	In favour	Abstaining	In favour	In favour
Netherlands	Abstaining	Abstaining	Against	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Against	Abstaining
New Zealand	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
Nicaragua	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Norway	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Pakistan	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Panama	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
Paraguay	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Peru	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Philippines	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Poland Poland	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Saudi Arabia	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Sweden	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Syrian	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Thailand	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining	Abstaining
Turkey	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Ukrainian SSR	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
South Africa	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
United Kingdom	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
United States	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Uruguay	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against	Against
Soviet Union	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
Venezuela	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour	In favour
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In favour	39	39	38	37	37	38	37	38	38
Against	14	14	15	14	14	14	14	15	14
Abstaining	6	6	6	8	8	7	8	6	7

Comparison versus 1947 Partition Plan

	For		Against		Abstained		Absent
	UNGA 181	UNGA 303(IV)	UNGA 181	UNGA 303(IV)	UNGA 181	UNGA 303(IV)	UNGA 181
Latin American and Caribbean	* Bolivia	* Argentina	* Cuba	* Costa Rica	* Argentina	* Chile
	* Brazil	* Bolivia		* Guatemala	** Chile	* Honduras
	* Costa Rica	* Brazil		* Uruguay	* Colombia	* Dominican Republic
	* Dominican Republic	* Colombia			* El Salvador	* Panama
	* Ecuador	* Cuba			* Honduras
	* Guatemala	* Ecuador			* Mexico
	* Haiti	* El Salvador
	* Nicaragua	* Haiti
	* Panama	* Mexico
	* Paraguay	* Nicaragua
	* Peru	* Paraguay
	* Uruguay	* Peru
	* Venezuela	* Venezuela

Western European and Others	* Belgium	* Belgium	* Greece Greece	* Turkey	* United Kingdom	* Netherlands
	* Denmark	* France	* Turkey	* Denmark
	* France	* Greece Greece		* Iceland
	* Iceland	* Luxembourg		* Norway
	* Luxembourg			* Sweden
	* Netherlands			* United Kingdom
	* Norway			* Israel (new)
	* Sweden

Eastern European	* Byelorussian SSR	* Byelorussian SSR		* Yugoslavia	* Yugoslavia
	* Czechoslovakia	* Czechoslovakia
	* Poland Poland	* Poland Poland
	* Ukrainian SSR	* Ukrainian SSR
	* Soviet Union	* Soviet Union

African	* Liberia	* Liberia	* Egypt	* South Africa	* Ethiopia
	* South Africa * Egypt Egypt
		* Ethiopia

Asia-Pacific	* Australia	* Afghanistan	* Afghanistan		* China	* Thailand	* Thailand
	* New Zealand	* India	* India			* New Zealand
	* Philippines	* Iran	* Iran
		* Iraq	* Iraq
		* Lebanon	* Lebanon
		* Pakistan	* Pakistan
		* Saudi Arabia	* Saudi Arabia
		* Syrian	* Syrian
		* Yemen	* Yemen
		* Australia
		* China
		* Philippines
		* Burma Burma (new)

North America	* Canada			* Canada
	* United States			* United States

Bibliography

Hahn, Peter L. "Alignment by Coincidence: Israel, the United States, and the Partition of Jerusalem, 1949–1953." The International History Review, vol. 21, no. 3, 1999, pp. 665–689. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40109080. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020.
Abraham Bell and Eugene Kontorovich, PALESTINE, UTI POSSIDETIS JURIS, AND THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL

References

^ Brecher, Michael (1978). "Jerusalem: Israel's Political Decisions, 1947-1977". Middle East Journal. 32 (1): 13–34. ISSN 0026-3141. Retrieved 16 February 2020 – via JSTOR.
^ "Declaration of Establishment of State of Israel". United Nations. 29 November 1947. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
^ "Declaration of Establishment of State of Israel". GxMSDev. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
^ "Admission of Israel to UN". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.

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Secretary-General: António Guterres
Deputy Secretary-General: Amina J. Mohammed
General Assembly President: Dennis Francis

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