UN Security Council Fails to Act on Gaza Crisis Despite Secretary-General’s Urgent Appeal

The UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 18,000 people have been killed in two months of Israeli bombardment and Hamas rocket attacks. The resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates and co-sponsored by 97 Member States, was vetoed by the United States, which argued that it did not adequately address the role of Hamas and other terrorist groups in the conflict. The vote came after an emergency meeting convened by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring the matter to the Council’s attention as a threat to international peace and security.

The Secretary-General expressed his deep alarm at the catastrophic situation in Gaza, where he said the conditions for the effective delivery of humanitarian aid no longer exist. He urged the Council to do everything possible to end the ordeal of the people of Gaza, who are facing a humanitarian and health crisis, as well as the risk of further escalation and regional instability. He also reiterated his call for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution and relevant UN resolutions.

The draft resolution, which was supported by 13 Council members, including China, France, and Russia, expressed grave concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasized the need to protect civilians on both sides. It demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the facilitation of humanitarian access. It also requested the Secretary-General to report to the Council on the implementation of the resolution.

Several Council members expressed their frustration and disappointment at the failure of the Council to act on the Gaza crisis, despite the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal and the overwhelming support for the draft resolution. They criticized the United States for blocking the resolution and for its unilateral and biased approach to the conflict. They also condemned the Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and media offices, as well as the Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli population centers. They called for an end to the violence and the resumption of dialogue and negotiations.

The representative of the United Arab Emirates, who introduced the draft resolution, said that the text was brief, simple, and crucial and that it reflected the minimum that the Council should do to respond to the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. He said that the resolution was not intended to assign blame or take sides, but to save lives and alleviate suffering. He appealed to all Council members to support the resolution and to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

The representative of the United States, who cast the veto, said that the resolution was unbalanced and flawed and that it failed to condemn the terrorist acts of Hamas and other groups that have launched thousands of rockets at Israel. He said that the resolution also ignored the efforts of Egypt and other regional actors to broker a ceasefire and a political solution. He said that the United States was committed to working with its partners to end the violence and to support the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza, but that the resolution was not the right way to achieve these goals.

The representative of Israel, who was invited to participate in the meeting, thanked the United States for its veto and its unwavering support for Israel’s right to self-defense. He said that Israel was facing an unprecedented and indiscriminate barrage of rockets from Hamas and other terrorist groups, who were using the civilian population of Gaza as human shields. He said that Israel was doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties and to target only the terrorists and their infrastructure. He accused the Council of being biased and hypocritical, and of ignoring the root causes of the conflict, which he said were the rejection of Israel’s existence and the incitement of hatred and violence by the Palestinian leadership.

The representative of the Observer State of Palestine, who was also invited to participate in the meeting, said that it was beyond regrettable and disastrous that the Council was prevented from upholding its responsibilities by the veto of the United States. He said that millions of Palestinian lives were at stake and that the Council’s inaction was giving a green light to the war criminals to continue their massacres and atrocities. He said that the resolution was a modest and reasonable attempt to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and that it did not prejudice the political aspects of the conflict. He urged the Council to reconsider its position and to adopt the resolution without delay.

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