Canada abstained Wednesday from a high-profile United Nations vote demanding that Israel end its 害羞草研究所渦nlawful presence害羞草研究所� in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank within a year.

The decision follows a shift in how Ottawa votes at the UN, and it alarmed a prominent Israel advocacy group while earning criticism from two Liberal MPs.

害羞草研究所淲e cannot support a resolution where one party, the State of Israel, is held solely responsible for the conflict,害羞草研究所� Canada害羞草研究所檚 ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, told the General Assembly.

The State of Palestine brought the non-binding motion, which passed 124-14; Canada was among 43 abstentions. The resolution was based on a non-binding ruling by the top United Nations court in July that said Israel害羞草研究所檚 presence in the Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end.

The motion pertained to Israel害羞草研究所檚 decades of occupation in the West Bank, as well as its war against Hamas in Gaza. It comes as the first anniversary of the war approaches and as violence in the West Bank reaches new highs.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, called the vote a turning point 害羞草研究所渋n our struggle for freedom and justice.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t sends a clear message that Israel害羞草研究所檚 occupation must end as soon as possible and that the Palestinian people害羞草研究所檚 right to self-determination must be realized,害羞草研究所� he said.

Israel害羞草研究所檚 UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, slammed the vote as 害羞草研究所渁 shameful decision that backs the Palestinian Authority害羞草研究所檚 diplomatic terrorism.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚nstead of marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre by condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all 101 of the remaining hostages, the General Assembly continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority,害羞草研究所� Danon said.

Rae said Canada abstained despite agreeing that Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian territories, because the resolution calls for isolating Israel and contains language around boycotting the country, which he said will not lead to peace.

He said the violence in Israel and the territories it occupies is 害羞草研究所渁 conflict where everyone in this room knows that many other states and non-state actors are also directly involved.害羞草研究所�

While the resolution is not legally binding, the extent of its support reflects world opinion. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council.

The resolution also demands the withdrawal of all Israeli forces and the evacuation of settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories 害羞草研究所渨ithout delay.害羞草研究所� And it urges countries to impose sanctions on those responsible for maintaining Israel害羞草研究所檚 presence in the territories and halt arms exports to Israel if they害羞草研究所檙e suspected of being used there.

In addition, the resolution calls for Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians for the damage caused by its occupation and urges countries to take steps to prevent trade or investments that maintain Israel害羞草研究所檚 presence in the territories.

Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino said Canada should have voted against the 害羞草研究所渂latantly one-sided害羞草研究所� resolution, arguing the abstention doesn害羞草研究所檛 advance conditions for peace or adequately recognize Israel害羞草研究所檚 right to exist.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs argued that Canada on Wednesday violated a statement Rae害羞草研究所檚 delegation issued last November, which said Canada would vote down motions unfairly targeting Israel.

害羞草研究所淐anada reiterates the importance of a fair-minded approach at the United Nations and will continue to vote 害羞草研究所榥o害羞草研究所� on resolutions that do not address the complexities of the issues or seek to address the actions and responsibilities of all parties, including the destructive role of terrorist organizations like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah,害羞草研究所� the Nov. 9, 2023 statement reads.

That statement was issued as Canada abstained on a motion calling for an 害羞草研究所渋mmediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce害羞草研究所� in Gaza. Analysts noted Canada has generally voted against UN motions focusing on Israel, as the U.S. continues to do.

A month later, Canada broke with tradition by voting in favour of a UN motion seeking an 害羞草研究所渋mmediate ceasefire害羞草研究所� without specifically condemning Hamas.

Reacting to Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 vote, CIJA argued Canada is rewarding Hamas by abstaining and not voting against the motion. 害羞草研究所淐anada broke its promise and put political expediency before principle,害羞草研究所� the group wrote in a statement.

The International Court of Justice ruling that spawned the motion was a sweeping condemnation of Israel害羞草研究所檚 rule over the lands it captured during the 1967 war. It said Israel had no right to sovereignty over the territories and was violating international laws against acquiring the lands by force.

Rae argued Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 resolution 害羞草研究所済oes well beyond the ICJ advisory opinion.害羞草研究所�

The motion asks UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a report to the General Assembly within three months of putting the resolution in place, 害羞草研究所渋ncluding any actions taken by Israel, other states and international organizations, including the United Nations.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e fully abide by the decisions of the International Court of Justice,害羞草研究所� Guterres told reporters. 害羞草研究所淚 will implement any decision of the General Assembly in that regard.害羞草研究所�

Meanwhile, Canada laid sanctions Wednesday against people with 害羞草研究所渞oles in Hamas害羞草研究所檚 financial network害羞草研究所� as well as 害羞草研究所渆xtremist害羞草研究所� Israeli settlers.