A resolution “calling for urgent action to immediately enable safe, unhindered and comprehensive humanitarian access” to the Gaza Strip and calling for the creation of “the conditions for a lasting cessation of hostilities” was adopted this Friday by the Security Council of the United Nations. . The text, which was heavily watered down after a week of negotiations to avoid another US veto, was still the target of an attempted amendment by Russia – which Washington blocked. Ultimately, both the Americans and the Russians abstained and allowed the resolution to be adopted with the votes of the other thirteen countries.
The original text, proposed by the United Arab Emirates and initially due to be voted on on Monday, called for “an immediate cessation of hostilities”, while a second version called for its “suspension” to allow the access of aid . It was this second version that Moscow tried to get approved, but the proposed amendment received ten votes in favor, four abstentions and a negative vote from the US, which used the veto to stop it.
Ultimately, the Russians believed that creating “the conditions for a lasting cessation of hostilities” was the use of “extremely debunked” language. And that in practice the Security Council gives the green light to Israel to continue its operations. “By approving this, the Council would essentially give the Israeli forces full freedom of action to further the cleansing of the Gaza Strip, and anyone who votes in favor of the text as it stands would be responsible for that,” Ambassador Vassily said. Nebenzia. Russia ultimately abstained from the final text.
After the resolution was approved, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield viewed it as “a ray of hope in a sea of unimaginable suffering” and as a “strong step forward”. The resolution calls on all parties to “facilitate the use of all routes” for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in effect calling for the opening of all borders for this purpose, and further asks the Secretary General of the United Nations appoint a person responsible to oversee this delivery of aid and create a mechanism to accelerate its arrival to people in need.
More than trucks
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres gave a press conference on Friday, recalling that the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering Gaza should not be used to measure the success of aid to the Palestinians.
“The real problem is that the way Israel is carrying out its offensive is creating enormous obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza,” he said. “An effective relief operation in Gaza requires security, personnel who can work safely, logistical capacity and the resumption of commercial activities. These four elements do not exist,” Guterres emphasizes.
Referring to the resolution previously adopted in the Security Council, the Secretary-General said he hoped it “will make people realize that a humanitarian ceasefire is something that is necessary if we want humanitarian aid to be delivered effectively ” to people in need. Gaza.
Still during the Security Council discussion, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, opined that the United Nations’ focus on aid mechanisms for Gaza is “unnecessary and disconnected from reality” as Israel already allows aid. He argued that the UN should be concerned about the hostages; the resolution calls for their immediate release, as well as access to medical teams.
The Palestinian representative, Riyad Mansour, emphasized that Israel’s goal is that there is no future for Palestinians in Palestine. He said he supported the Russian amendment (which was not adopted), but also that the resolution that was adopted is “a step in the right direction.” A call for a ceasefire is being urged.
The head of Israeli diplomacy, Eli Cohen, reiterated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel will continue the war in Gaza until the release of all hostages and the elimination of Hamas. And it will continue to inspect all humanitarian aid entering the enclave in the name of security.
Source: DN
