The non-binding resolution, which was criticized by Israel and the United States for not referring to the Hamas movement, was supported by applause by 120 votes, including France and Belgium, while 45 countries abstained from voting, including Iraq, Tunisia, Albania, Britain, Serbia, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Canada, India, and Uruguay, in addition to 14 opposition. Voted among them were Hungary, the Czech Republic, Paraguay, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Tonga, Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, in addition to Israel and the United States.
The vote took place in the General Assembly after the Security Council failed four times to take action during the past two weeks.
The support of a two-thirds majority of the 193 members of the General Assembly was required to pass the resolution, without taking into account those who abstained from voting.
Resolution items
- The resolution, prepared by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group, which includes 22 countries, requests “an immediate, permanent and continuing humanitarian truce that leads to a cessation of military operations.” The previous version of the resolution called for an “immediate ceasefire.”
- The draft resolution, drafted by Jordan and sponsored by nearly 50 countries, focuses on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and specifically calls for the provision of water, food, fuel and electricity “immediately” and “in sufficient quantities” and the access of humanitarian assistance “without obstacles.”
- The text also condemns “all acts of violence directed against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, in particular terrorist acts and indiscriminate attacks.” He expresses his “deep concern about the recent escalation in violence since the October 7th attack” without explicitly mentioning Hamas.
A failed Canadian attempt and a European division
An attempt led by Canada to amend the resolution to include a rejection and denunciation of “Hamas’ terrorist attacks… and its taking of hostages” failed to obtain the necessary two-thirds majority, as it received 88 votes in favour, while 55 objected and 23 abstained from voting.
The outcome of the resolution showed division among Western countries, especially European countries, as France supported the resolution, while Germany, Italy, and Britain abstained from voting, and Austria and the United States voted against the resolution.
For her part, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “It is shameful that this resolution fails to identify the perpetrators of the terrorist attack that occurred on October 7.” “The other key word missing in this resolution is hostages,” she added.
For his part, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian delegate to the United Nations, told reporters, “This sends a message to everyone that enough is enough. This war must stop, the massacre against our people must stop and humanitarian aid must begin entering the Gaza Strip.”
Gilad Erdan, the Israeli representative to the United Nations, rejected the resolution and said that the United Nations no longer had legitimacy or importance regarding the issue, and accused those who voted to approve the resolution of preferring to support “the defense of Nazi terrorists” rather than Israel.
He told the General Assembly after the vote, “This ridiculous resolution included the impudence of calling for a truce. The goal of the truce contained in this resolution is that Israel must stop defending itself against Hamas, so that Hamas can set fire to us.”
Hamas, for its part, welcomed the call to stop the war.
The movement said in a statement, “We welcome the decision of the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate, permanent and continuous humanitarian truce that leads to stopping the aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, and we call on the General Assembly and the relevant UN bodies to take measures to implement the decision immediately, in a way that enables the opening of the crossings and the entry of fuel and relief aid.” “Emergency.”
In turn, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the “overwhelming support for the General Assembly’s resolution,” adding that “the international community spoke loudly against Israel’s continuing crimes.”
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