The “General Assembly” to vote on an “immediate ceasefire” project in Gaza… and a new project in the Security Council
Diplomats expected that the United Nations General Assembly would vote, on Friday, on a draft resolution submitted by the Arab group to demand an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to more than two million Palestinian civilians trapped in the Strip. While the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council began working on preparing a draft “intermediate” resolution to deal with the war, after the most powerful UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security failed to take an effective position due to the deepening differences between the United States and its Western allies on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other. the other side.
Despite 20 days of war and thousands of deaths and injuries, in addition to the catastrophic humanitarian conditions for more than two million Palestinian civilians trapped in the Gaza Strip, diplomats sought to use all available means to intervene, in accordance with what the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and many others are calling for. Officials and international organizations around the world.
A wounded Palestinian woman and her child are taken to Nasser Hospital after the Israeli bombing in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza (AFP)
General Assembly
On behalf of the Arab group, the Jordanian delegate, Mahmoud Al-Hamoud, presented the text of the resolution, which specifically calls for an “immediate ceasefire” and the “unhindered” delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Palestinian delegate Riyad Mansour announced on Wednesday that the 193 member states of the General Assembly will vote on this text “on Friday afternoon, and we hope that we will succeed in allowing the General Assembly to work while the Security Council is paralyzed.”
Russian Permanent Representatives Vasily Nebenzia, Chinese Zhang Jun, Palestinian Riyad Mansour, and Arab League Maged Abdel Aziz before a Security Council meeting in New York (AFP)
Security Council
This came after the Security Council failed once again to deal with the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, rejecting two draft resolutions, the first American and the other Russian, despite it being the strongest UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security.
The Security Council during a meeting on the war between Israel and Hamas (Reuters)
The resolution prepared by the United States, Israel’s closest ally, would stress Israel’s right to self-defense in the face of Hamas’ “terrorist attacks” and demand that it release all its hostages “immediately and unconditionally” and urge respect for international laws. It calls for “working to reach a humanitarian truce” to deliver aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.
On Wednesday evening, Russia and China used their veto power against the project proposed by the United States, knowing that it received support from ten countries, and the United Arab Emirates also rejected it, while Brazil and Mozambique abstained from voting.
Russian delegate to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia votes against a draft resolution submitted by the United States on Israel and Hamas in New York (AP)
As for the Russian draft resolution, which was also put to a vote, it calls for an “immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons,” and unequivocally condemns the attacks of last October 7 and the “indiscriminate attacks” on civilians and civilian targets in Gaza.
This decision was not adopted; Because it only received support from four countries: Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates and Gabon, while the United States and Britain opposed it, and nine countries abstained from voting. Any resolution requires at least nine supportive votes, with no veto from any of the five permanent members.
The failure of these two resolutions came after the Security Council also rejected, last week, a Russian draft resolution that did not mention “Hamas” by name, and the failure of a Brazilian draft resolution that had the support of 12 countries, but which the United States vetoed. The Brazilian project would have condemned Hamas attacks and all acts of violence against civilians, and called for a “humanitarian truce.”
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield casts her vote during a Security Council meeting on the war between Israel and Hamas in New York (Reuters)
“License” to attack
The Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, justified the use of the veto by saying that the American draft resolution “represents a license from the Security Council to continue the Israeli attack and cannot be passed.” Because the Council will completely lose its credibility,” he said, adding that the United States “does not want Security Council resolutions to influence the Israeli process.” He added that “violations of international humanitarian law threaten to expand the conflict in the Middle East and perhaps beyond,” and strongly criticized the “narrow and selfish interests (that) prevented stopping a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.”
Chinese delegate Zhang Jun said: “The draft resolution does not reflect the strongest calls in the world for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, and does not help resolve the issue.” At this moment, ceasefire is not just a diplomatic term. “It means the life and death of many civilians.” He described the American project as “highly unbalanced, mixing good and evil.”
American “disappointment.”
As for his American counterpart, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, she described Russia and China’s use of the “veto” as disappointing. She said: The draft resolution prepared by her country calls for “a rapid expansion of aid” to respond to “the terrible and urgent humanitarian needs of the Palestinians in Gaza.” She added that the text also affirms “the right of all countries to self-defense” and calls for “humanitarian truces.” She also said: “We listened to all of you. “Although (Wednesday’s) vote is a setback, it should not discourage us.” Russia was accused of preparing a draft resolution in “bad faith,” claiming that it “aims to divide the Council more than it aims to meet the needs of the Israelis and Palestinians.”
British delegate Barbara Woodward justified her vote against the Russian text by saying that it “does not once again recognize Israel’s right to defend itself.”
French attempt
Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings after Israeli air strikes in Khan Yunis (AP)
These deep divisions in the Security Council caused frustration among a number of diplomats. One of them said: France tried, in vain, to persuade Russia and the United States to withdraw their texts before referring them to a vote.
Emirati delegate Lana Nusseibeh said: The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have made clear that what is necessary is a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, the release of all hostages, and the sustainability of humanitarian aid access to Gaza. She emphasized the importance of the Council giving “the same value to Palestinian life as it does to Israeli life,” adding that “we cannot allow any ambiguity on this point.”
On the other hand, Israeli delegate Gilad Erdan thanked the United States and other countries for supporting the American resolution to denounce “savage genocidal terrorists,” denouncing those who voted against the resolution because they showed the world that the Security Council is unable to condemn “terrorists,” and cannot affirm the rights of the victims of these heinous crimes. In self-defense.
“middle” appointment
With the failure of the American and Russian projects, on Wednesday evening, the Maltese delegate to the United Nations, Vanessa Fraser, announced, on behalf of the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council, that these countries would work to propose a new draft resolution. She told Council members: “By being elected members of this Council, we also represent the rest of the international community and we have a duty and obligation to act.” Adding, “There is no room to waste time.” She warned that “this crisis is also fraught with an increasing risk of it spreading regionally.” “This requires our full attention.”
2023-10-26 20:33:35
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