The UN resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months was welcomed by Arab and Islamic countries, while Israel rejected it. The UN General Assembly approved in a meeting yesterday, Wednesday, by a majority of 124 votes to 14, the first resolution submitted by Palestine, calling for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories within 12 months. The Permanent Mission of Palestine to the United Nations submitted its first draft resolution to the General Assembly, following the additional rights it gained through the vote held in the General Assembly last May. The vote on the draft resolution, which was submitted by more than 40 countries, was held in an emergency special session entitled: "Illegal Israeli measures in occupied East Al-Quds and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories." The Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed its welcome in a statement to the UN General Assembly's adoption of a resolution on "ending the illegal presence in the occup ied Palestinian territories, stressing the need to take practical and credible steps to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue." The UAE also welcomed the adoption of the UN resolution in a statement by the UAE mission to the United Nations, noting that "the resolution submitted by Palestine, we participated in sponsoring and voted in favor of." It stressed that "the ruling of the International Court of Justice is clear that the Israeli occupation is illegal, and it is time for it to end," adding that "this resolution will determine a roadmap for moving forward. We urge the Security Council to translate the advisory opinion into tangible steps." The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced in a statement its welcome of the UN resolution, stressing that "the adoption of the resolution by a majority of 124 countries clearly reflects the justice of the Palestinian cause, and represents broad international recognition of the right of the brotherly Palestinian people to self-determination, wh ich is a natural, legal and historical right." It expressed in "the interaction of all countries with the resolution by complying with their obligations under international law and seeking to implement the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and not to recognize the legitimacy of the situation resulting from the occupation or provide assistance to maintain the situation resulting from it." Jordan also welcomed the UN resolution in a statement by the Foreign Ministry. It stressed "the need to oblige Israel to implement what was included in the resolution regarding ending its illegal policies, including the immediate cessation of all new settlement activities, and the evacuation of all settlers from the Palestinian land." For its part, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation welcomed in a statement "the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of a historic resolution on the illegitimacy of the Israeli occupation." The organization considered that "this resolution expresses the int ernational consensus on the justice of the Palestinian cause and its steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people," calling on all countries to "assume their responsibilities and take individual and collective measures to ensure that the Israeli occupation complies with all its obligations under international law and international legitimacy resolutions." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had previously welcomed the UN resolution, according to what was reported by the Palestinian News Agency. He stressed that "the Palestinian draft resolution obtaining a two-thirds vote of the members of the United Nations General Assembly represents an international consensus on the justice of the Palestinian cause and a victory for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state." The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also welcomed, in a statement, the historic consensus on the UN resolution, and considered "the resolution a deci sive and historic moment for the Palestinian cause and for international law." The Foreign Ministry stressed that it "will work hard, through its embassies, and with all countries to implement this resolution and transform it into an effective mechanism to deter, hold accountable and punish Israel." Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the resolution in a statement, saying that it is "detached from reality and harms the chances of peace." Palestine enjoys the status of a "non-member state" with observer status at the United Nations, and obtained this status after a resolution adopted by the General Assembly by a large majority on November 29, 2012. Source: National Iraqi News Agency