Several members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, currently chaired by Brazil, denounced Hamas on Sunday for its all-out attack on Israel, and the United States lamented the lack of unanimity.
In an emergency session, the US and Israel urged the Council to strongly condemn Palestinian Islamists ruling the Gaza Strip who launched a surprise attack on Saturday that left more than a thousand dead.
Diplomats reported that the Security Council had not considered issuing a joint statement, let alone a binding resolution, while Russia-led members hoped for a broader approach than condemning Hamas.
“My call was for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for a ceasefire and meaningful negotiations, as has been said for the past decades”, said the Russian Ambassador to the UN within the Council, Vassily Nebenzia.
China, Russia’s usual ally in the group, said it would support a joint statement. “It is not normal for the Security Council to remain silent” noted Ambassador Zhang Jun, who had earlier pledged Chinese support for condemning “all attacks on civilians.”
Upon entering the session, Israel’s ambassador, Gilad Erdan, showed graphic photos of Israeli citizens taken hostage by Hamas. “These are war crimes, blatant and documented war crimes.”he declared.
The Palestinian ambassador, who represents the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, called on the Council to focus on ending the Israeli occupation. “Unfortunately, for some media and politicians, the story begins when Israelis are killed,” said envoy Riyad Mansour.
“This is not the time to allow Israel to double down on its terrible decisions. It is time to tell Israel that it must change course, that there is a path to peace in which neither Palestinians nor Israelis are killed,” he added.
Source: DN
