United Nations Security Council Resolution 497

UN Security Council
Resolution 497
Golan Heights
Date17 December 1981
Meeting no.2,319
CodeS/RES/497 (Document)
SubjectIsrael–Syria
Voting summary
  • 15 voted for
  • None voted against
  • None abstained
ResultAdopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members
Non-permanent members
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United Nations Security Council resolution 497, adopted unanimously on 17 December 1981, declared that the Israeli Golan Heights Law, which effectively annexed the Golan Heights, is "null and void and without international legal effect" and further calls on Israel to rescind its action.[1]

The council requested the secretary-general to report to the council within two weeks on the implementation of the resolution, and in the event of non-compliance by Israel, the council would reconvene, not later than 5 January 1982, to discuss further action under the United Nations Charter.

Israel did not comply with the resolution. After lengthy discussions on 20 January 1982, the USA vetoed a Chapter VII resolution that called for action by the international community against Israel.[2] Then on 5 February 1982, an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by 86 votes to 21 a resolution calling for a boycott of Israel (the US and many other Western states voted against).[3]

  1. ^ Text of the Resolution at undocs.org
  2. ^ "U.N. RESOLUTION ON GOLAN". 21 January 1982. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  3. ^ Sharon Korman (1996). The Right of Conquest: The Acquisition of Territory by Force in International Law and Practice. Clarendon Press. pp. 263–265. ISBN 978-0-19-158380-3.