AFPThe outcome of the vote in the UN General Assembly
NOS News•today, 00:43•Adjusted today, 00:58
The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the Netherlands again abstained from the vote, just as it did at the end of last month. According to outgoing minister Bruins Slot, the text was not clear enough about the temporary nature of such a ceasefire.
In the vote, which was held in emergency session by the UN and was expressly intended as a demonstration of global support for an end to the war between Israel and Hamas, 153 countries voted in favor, 10 against and 23 abstained.
In the previous vote, on October 27, 120 countries voted in favor. Just like then, the US and Israel now voted against. The EU is deeply divided on the issue: France, Spain, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries voted in favor, but Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands abstained. Ukraine also abstained.
The resolution expresses “grave concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population” and states that Palestinians and Israelis must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
It further calls for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the guarantee of humanitarian access.” The resolution says nothing about Hamas, which sparked the war with terror attacks in Israel on October 7.
Adjustments suggested
The United States had proposed an additional paragraph saying that the meeting “unequivocally rejects and condemns Hamas’s heinous terrorist attacks.” A second amendment, proposed by Austria, added that hostages “in the hands of Hamas and other groups” should be released immediately. Both amendments were rejected.
The Netherlands has also tried to amend the resolution, says Minister Bruins Slot op X, but that was not successful.
The resolution that has now been adopted is not binding, which means that Israel can ignore it. Only a resolution in the UN Security Council is binding, but because the US is an ally of Israel and can veto resolutions in the Security Council, there is little the UN can do.
Less support for Israel and the US
The vote shows the growing isolation of the United States and Israel. Eight countries now joined in opposing the resolution: Austria, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay. But support for a ceasefire was much greater than on October 27, with 14 votes against instead of 10.
Even though the resolutions of the General Assembly are not legally binding, the messages of the General Assembly and its 193 member countries are important because they reflect world opinion.
Arab and Muslim countries had called for the emergency meeting after the United States vetoed a resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Security Council on Friday.
The United States is Israel’s most important ally and largest supplier of weapons to the country. More than any other country or organization, the US is seen as capable of convincing Israel to accept a ceasefire.
In stronger language than usual, US President Biden warned ahead of the vote that Israel was losing international support over its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.
2023-12-12 23:43:53
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