The UN Security Council approved a resolution that will facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. However, the text, which was accepted with the positive votes of 13 member countries, does not include a ceasefire call. The resolution calls for “immediate and prolonged pauses and the establishment of humanitarian corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to allow full, rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.”
But this is a watered-down text compared to the original version that the United Arab Emirates proposed on Sunday. The reference to an “immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities” was eliminated, as was the request for a “suspension” of hostilities presented in a later version. The resolution condemns “all acts of terrorism” and “all attacks against civilians”, but does not mention Hamas and contains no explicit condemnation of the Palestinian organisation. Ultimately, an agreement was reached, but the text was significantly softened. The document was approved with 13 votes in favour, none against, and two abstentions (the United States and Russia). While Israel thanked the United States for showing its support, the resolution voted by the Security Council was “not a sufficient measure” for Hamas.
If there is no explicit ceasefire request, the text specifies conditions for stopping or at least suspending hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Another sensitive point where compromise was necessary was Israel’s role in deciding what aid could come. Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said, “The decision allows the Israeli security authority to monitor and control the aid entering Gaza” and emphasized that “the determined red lines are maintained.”
Thank you @POTUS, @USAmbUNAnd @USUN For standing by Israel throughout the negotiations on the UN Security Council resolution and maintaining the established red lines. The decision retains Israel’s authority to monitor and control aid entering Gaza.
It shouldn’t be…
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) December 22, 2023
However, Erdan underlined in his tweet that “the Security Council has not yet condemned the 7/10 massacre as a whole. This is a shame that reveals the UN’s indifference to the war in Gaza. Focus only on the war in Gaza.” “Aid mechanisms for Gaza are not necessary because Israel still allows aid on the necessary scale.”
Emirati Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibah spoke of the “Christmas miracle we all hope for, to send a positive message to the people of Gaza suffering from unbearable living conditions.” According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a humanitarian ceasefire is “the only way to begin meeting the desperate needs of the people of Gaza and put an end to the ongoing nightmare.” He added that the Security Council resolution “may ultimately contribute to achieving this goal, but much more is urgently needed.”
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
