Gaza: for the first time, the Security Council votes for an “immediate ceasefire”

UN Security Council meeting in New York on March 25, 2024

After months of “deafening silence”, the UN Security Council finally demanded on Monday an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, a call blocked several times by the United States which this time abstained, provoking the anger of their Israeli ally.

The resolution, adopted to applause by 14 votes in favor, with one abstention, “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan” – which already began two weeks ago –, should “lead to a ceasefire the lasting fire”, and “demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages”.

“Finally, the Security Council is taking its responsibilities” to stop “this bloodbath,” greeted Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama.

This “historic day” must “be a turning point (…), the signal of the end of this onslaught of atrocities against our people”, added Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour in a tight voice.

In any case, Council resolutions are often ignored by the countries concerned.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has already assured that Israel will not end its war “as long as there are hostages in Gaza”.

Not implementing this resolution would be “unforgivable”, judged UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The resolution “recognizes” the existence of talks led by Qatar, Egypt and the United States for a truce in exchange for the hostages captured on October 7 on Israeli soil.

But American Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield insisted on a link between the ceasefire and the release of the hostages.

– “No change of course” –

“A ceasefire can begin immediately after the release of a first hostage (…) This is the only way to ensure a ceasefire and the release of the hostages,” she declared.

The White House assured that the American abstention was not a “change of course”, and said it was “somewhat surprised” by the reaction of Israel which canceled the visit of a delegation to Washington.

On Friday, Russia and China vetoed a draft American resolution emphasizing the “need” for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, in connection with negotiations on the ground.

Some observers had seen this as a substantial evolution in the position of Washington, under pressure to limit its support for Israel while the Israeli offensive has left more than 32,000 dead in Gaza, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

The United States had until then systematically opposed the term “ceasefire”, blocking three draft resolutions to this effect. But the rejected American text did not explicitly call for an immediate ceasefire.

– And after Ramadan? –

The resolution adopted Monday is the result of the work of non-permanent members of the Council, who negotiated all weekend with the United States to try to avoid another failure.

The resolution also calls for the “removal of all obstacles” to humanitarian aid.

The Council, largely divided on the Israeli-Palestinian issue for years, had until now only been able to adopt two resolutions on this issue since October 7 (out of nine submitted to the vote), which were essentially humanitarian. Without much result: the entry of aid into Gaza, besieged, remains largely insufficient and famine looms.

While the resolution adopted Monday focuses on Ramadan, several countries insisted on the need for a longer-term vision to make it possible, in particular, to silence the guns permanently.

The Council must “work towards the recovery and stabilization of Gaza” and “put a political process back on track aimed at establishing a two-state solution,” insisted French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, congratulating the Council. to have come out of his “deafening silence”.

LNT with Afp