A UN resolution is a formal expression of the opinion or will of a UN body. It follows a common, relatively strict format and is published online once approved. Resolutions are often numbered and refer to the year or session in which they were adopted. Resolutions are usually non-binding towards member states, but decisions of subsidiary bodies may be binding on them in certain circumstances.
The Security Council is one of the most powerful organs of the United Nations, with responsibility for global peace and security. The fifteen-member body fosters negotiations and sanctions, and oversees the deployment of UN peacekeeping missions. Its five permanent members, chosen in the aftermath of World War II, are each granted veto power over any decision made by the Council. Critics argue that the veto fuels deadlock and protects the geopolitical interests of the P5 at the expense of international justice and peace.
Resolution 242 calls for “the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” Israel interprets this as a demand that it withdraw from all disputed territory, while Palestinians claim that it guarantees a right to return to their homes, and that compensation should be paid for properties that have been lost or destroyed. The text also called for the establishment of a UNEF, which would be funded by the five permanent members and drawn from their troop-contributing countries. The first troops arrived in Egypt eight days after the resolution’s adoption.