This Security Council Resolution, passed on November 22, 1967, calls for both the withdrawal of the
Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the
1967 War, and respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and right to live in peace for all countries in the area (i.e. Arab states' recognition of
Israel's right to exist). The text was made deliberately ambiguous in order to appease demands from conflicting parties within the UN. As such, differing interpretations of the text prevail, with disagreement on whether Resolution 242 calls for full Israeli withdrawal, or allows for minor or even considerable border adjustments. Despite these differences, the resolution has been the cornerstone of "land for peace" initiatives since 1967. See "
MidEast Web Historical Documents: UNSC 242," MidEast Web.