Adopted on 10th November 1975, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 3379 declared Zionism to be a form of racism. The resolution emerged within a broader UN context influenced by decolonisation, Cold War politics, and opposition to racial segregation following the UN’s observations during South African apartheid. This insight aims to explore the essence of UNGA Resolution 3379 and its present relevance within the ever-evolving norms of the international community.

From the start of the 20th century, significant efforts had begun to combat racism. Such efforts were only heightened with the addition of multiple previously colonised countries to the UN, greatly increasing advocacy against colonialism and initiating a combined effort towards decolonisation and discriminatory practices. This movement came to fruition through the initiation of Resolution 1514 in 1960, which proclaimed the need to put an end to all colonial practices, emphasising the importance of the territorial integrity of each state.

Simultaneously, parallels between Zionism and colonialism were closely examined, particularly their shared goal of territorial control through land occupation. Zionism was observed to require the effective removal of native Palestinians within Palestine to function, a sentiment mirrored by many colonialist practices, further cementing the comparisons. Such comparisons formed the basis upon which Resolution 3379 was made.

UNGA Resolution 3379, quoting Resolution 77 of the Organisation of African Unity, noted the commonality between the racist regime of South Africa and the racist regime in Palestine based on mutual imperialistic origins. It went on to quote UNGA Resolution 3151 G, in which the General Assembly had condemned the ‘unholy alliance’ between South African racism and Zionism. Resolution 3379, recalling the UNGA’s prior........

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