<\/p>\n
GENERAL ASSEMBLY<\/strong> fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018We Cannot Remain Silent\u2019 in Face of Recent Gaza Violence, Palestine Observer Says<\/strong><\/p>\n In an emergency meeting, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution deploring the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and particularly the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n By the text titled \u201cProtection of the Palestinian civilian population\u201d \u2014 adopted by a vote of 120 in favour to 8 against with 45 abstentions \u2014 the Assembly demanded that Israel refrain from such actions and fully abide by its legal obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention relating to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949.<\/p>\n It also deplored the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli civilian areas \u2014 and any actions that could endanger civilian lives \u2014 and called for urgent steps to ensure an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, as well as for the exercise of maximum restraint by all parties. \u00a0It requested the Secretary-General to submit a report in no later than 60 days, outlining proposals on ways and means for ensuring the safety of Palestinian civilians, including on an international protection mechanism.<\/p>\n The resolution was adopted following the Assembly\u2019s rejection of a United States-sponsored amendment \u2014 by a vote of 78 against to 59 in favour, with 26 abstentions \u2014 which would have condemned Hamas for repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and inciting violence along the boundary fence.\u00a0 It would have demanded that Hamas cease all violent activity and expressed grave concern over the destruction of the Kerem Shalom crossing by actors in Gaza.<\/p>\n Introducing the proposed amendment, the United States delegate said the resolution, presented by Algeria\u2019s delegate, had failed to even mention Hamas, sacrificing honesty in favour of a narrow political agenda that exclusively blamed Israel in what had become a favourite political sport. \u00a0The modest amendment rightly condemned rocket fire by Hamas, as well as its diversion of resources from civilians to military resources.\u00a0 \u201cIt is the least that any self-respecting international organization or nation can do for the cause of peace,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Algeria\u2019s representative, introducing the resolution, said Israel had not only set aside its responsibilities under international law, it had purposely violated those obligations.\u00a0 \u201cThey have, in a premeditated way, harmed Palestinians, denying them their basic rights,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 \u201cVote for rights, peace and stability in all of the Middle East,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Bangladesh\u2019s delegate, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said the Security Council\u2019s failure to take action, due to a veto cast by a permanent member, had encouraged the occupying Power to continue its aggressions.\u00a0 Without fear of accountability, Israeli forces had continued their brutality.<\/p>\n \u201cBy supporting this resolution, you are colluding with a terrorist organization and empowering Hamas,\u201d said Israel\u2019s representative, stressing that his country had the right to defend itself and asking Member States how they would react if 40,000 rioters attempted to flood their borders.\u00a0 It was Hamas that decided when to attack, when to retreat and when to send its own people straight into harm\u2019s way and even to their death. \u00a0Israel had taken many steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, while Hamas had spent countless resources on terrorism.\u00a0 To those supporting today\u2019s resolution, \u201cyou are the ammunition in Hamas\u2019 gun; you are the warheads on Hamas\u2019 missiles\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine said Member States must do everything possible to uphold the collective obligation to protect civilians in all circumstances, including Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot remain silent in the face of the most violent crimes and human rights violations being systematically perpetrated against our people,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 The text was balanced.\u00a0 It had been forged after extensive negotiations during the preceding Security Council process, as well as follow-up consultations and good-faith outreach.\u00a0 He rejected the \u201cbad-faith\u201d attempt to insert an amendment that would radically shift the focus away from the core objective of protecting civilians.<\/p>\n In other matters, the Assembly President took note of document A\/ES-10\/787, concerning Member States that were in arrears in the payment of financial contributions to the Â鶹APP.\u00a0 He also recalled that, at the thirty-seventh plenary meeting of the tenth emergency special session, the General Assembly decided to follow the provisions of resolution 72\/2 by which the Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Somalia were permitted to vote in the General Assembly until the end of its seventy-second session and to allow those Member States to vote at the emergency special session.<\/p>\n Also speaking today were representatives of Turkey, Bangladesh (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference), Venezuela (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), Bolivia and South Africa, as well as the European Union and Holy See.<\/p>\n Speaking in explanation of vote were the representatives of Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Czechia, Iran, New Zealand, Mexico, United Kingdom, Argentina, Guatemala, Canada, Iceland and Singapore.<\/p>\n Action<\/u><\/p>\n SABRI BOUKADOUM (Algeria<\/u>), introducing the draft resolution on the Protection of the Palestinian civilian population (document A\/ES-10\/L.23), said the situation represented a major threat to international peace and security.\u00a0 \u201cI will not quote the terrifying numbers of the dead and wounded,\u201d he emphasized, adding that Israel\u2019s aggressions had not spared children, women, the elderly, nurses or humanitarian workers.\u00a0 Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year old Palestinian nurse, was shot dead at the Gaza Border where she had worked to save the wounded.\u00a0 Israel had not only set aside its responsibilities under international law, it had purposely violated those obligations.\u00a0 \u201cThey have, in a premeditated way, harmed Palestinians, denying them their basic rights,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n The draft resolution was merely reminding the international community of its responsibility to provide civilians protection in times of conflict, he continued.\u00a0 It stressed the need to ensure the well-being and safety of civilians, and called for holding all violators accountable.\u00a0 The draft also called for utmost restraint and calm by all parties, as well as for immediate steps to stabilize the situation on the ground and end the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by Israel.\u00a0 Given the Security Council\u2019s inability to uphold its responsibility, the international community was called upon to redouble its efforts to end the Arab-Israeli conflict on the premise of setting up a Palestinian State based on relevant resolutions on international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.<\/p>\n On behalf of the Arab Group, he expressed gratitude to Kuwait for recently tabling a similar resolution in the Security Council.\u00a0 He called on all \u201cpeace loving\u201d States to stand firmly on the side of the rule of law and to support the draft. \u00a0\u201cVote for rights, peace and stability in all of the Middle East,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n NIKKI R. HALEY (United States<\/u>), introducing her delegation\u2019s proposed amendment to that draft resolution (document A\/ES-10\/L.24), said that today, demonstrations were taking place in Nicaragua, civilians peacefully protesting their Government in Iran had been arrested and the world\u2019s worst humanitarian crisis continued to unfold in Yemen.\u00a0 In Myanmar, almost a million civilians had been driven from their homes.\u00a0 But the Assembly was not meeting in an emergency session on any of those situations.\u00a0 \u201cInstead, the General Assembly is devoting its valuable time to the situation in Gaza,\u201d she said, asking what made that situation different from conflicts in other desperate places around the world.<\/p>\n The answer, she said, was that for many delegations, attacking Israel had become a \u201cfavourite political sport\u201d.\u00a0 Such one-sided resolutions as the one presented today, which failed to even mention Hamas, did nothing to advance peace.\u00a0 Moreover, everyone knew its passage would accomplish nothing, and could even make peace less likely by feeding the narrative that Gaza\u2019s leaders were not responsible.\u00a0 It would also further stoke tensions in favour of a narrow political agenda, she said, emphasizing that \u201cthere are no perfect actors on either side\u201d.\u00a0 Israel had withdrawn completely from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas had been the de facto leader since 2007.\u00a0 Eleven years later, the territory was stricken with poverty and had become a haven for terrorist activities.\u00a0 Hamas and its allies had fired over a hundred rockets into Israel in just the last month, used civilians as human shields and refused to unite with the Palestinian Authority to pursue peace.<\/p>\n \u201cWe still have the opportunity to salvage something honest from this,\u201d she said, stressing that the modest amendment proposed by the United States rightly condemned the firing of rockets by Hamas as well as its diversion of resources from civilians to military resources.\u00a0 \u201cIt is the least that any self-respecting international organization or nation can do for the cause of peace,\u201d she said, urging all Member States to vote in favour it.\u00a0 Today\u2019s vote would reveal which States were serious about the cause of peace, and which were only bound by their political agendas.<\/p>\n RIYAD H. MANSOUR, Permanent Observer of the\u00a0State of Palestine<\/u>, said today\u2019s initiative represented a genuine effort to address the recent violence and worsening conditions on the ground.\u00a0 \u201cIt is firmly based on the belief that, by upholding shared responsibilities in line with the [Â鶹APP] Charter, international law and relevant Â鶹APP resolutions, we can contribute to the efforts to defuse tensions, de-escalate the situation, deter further violence and protect civilian lives,\u201d he said.\u00a0 His delegation\u2019s decision to approach the Assembly had been prompted by the Security Council\u2019s failure to act on the matter, due to the veto cast on 1\u00a0June by one of its permanent members.\u00a0 The resolution submitted to the Council by Kuwait had been supported by the vast majority of its members, he said, adding that, on the heels of that regrettable vote, Palestinians had also marked the fifty-first anniversary of the Israeli occupation.\u00a0 \u201cThis illegal, belligerent, military occupation is the primary source and root cause of the recurrent emergency crises we face,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n While Palestine would have preferred that the Security Council uphold its duties, he said, the negative outcome had emboldened Israel\u2019s impunity and forced his delegation to continue its efforts in the Assembly.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot remain silent in the face of the most violent crimes and human rights violations being systematically perpetrated against our people,\u201d he said.\u00a0 It was the international community\u2019s duty to address all aspects of the crisis and the grave injustice and alleviate, in any way it could, the suffering of the Palestinian people.\u00a0 The draft resolution before the Assembly today was rooted in international law and Â鶹APP resolutions, both on the question of Palestine and on the protection of civilians, medics, humanitarian personnel and journalists.\u00a0 It was a balanced text achieved after extensive negotiations during the preceding Security Council process, and the follow-up consultations and good-faith outreach seeking the support of all delegations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe therefore firmly reject the bad-faith attempt to insert an amendment that would radically unbalance the text and shift the Assembly\u2019s focus away from the core objective of protecting civilians and upholding international law,\u201d he said, calling on delegations to support the longstanding Palestinian cause, advance peace and support the work of Â鶹APP agencies working to meet the needs of Palestinian civilians on the ground \u2014 particularly the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).\u00a0 Member States must do everything possible to uphold the collective obligation to protect civilians in all circumstances, including Palestinian civilians, and to avert further destabilization of the situation with a view to salvaging the prospects for peace.<\/p>\n Feridun Hadi Sinirlio\u011flu (Turkey<\/u>) said his delegation had requested today\u2019s emergency meeting following the Security Council\u2019s failure to adopt a resolution that called for the protection of Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 The draft before the General Assembly \u2014 co-tabled by Turkey in its capacity as Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation \u2014 was a call to all Member States to look for peaceful means to deter and prevent attacks on civilians.\u00a0 \u201cThis draft resolution is not about taking sides,\u201d he said, but rather supporting de-escalation on the ground, deterring violence and calling on the Secretary-General to recommend ways to protect civilians and end the loss of life.\u00a0 It also sought collective responsibility in support of international law, in choosing the side of a credible peace process and in keeping hopes for peaceful coexistence alive.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the right time to send a convincing signal to the Palestinian people that their legitimate aspirations are heard and that the international community does care about their suffering,\u201d he said, adding that it was also the right time for the Assembly to restore the credibility of the Â鶹APP and demonstrate that the acquis on the Palestinian issue was more than just words.<\/p>\n Through the draft resolution, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to make recommendations on an international protection mechanism to stop attacks on Palestinian civilians, he said, stressing that asking for Â鶹APP action was about choosing multilateralism over unilateralism.\u00a0 Only a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement \u2014 not unilateral decisions \u2014 would bring peace.\u00a0 There was no alternative to the two-State solution.\u00a0 Noting that one Member State had tabled an amendment as a way to sow confusion, he said today\u2019s text had been carefully drafted through several rounds of Security Council negotiations.\u00a0 The Council\u2019s failure to act was the very reason the Assembly had taken up the issue, he said, calling on delegations to reject the proposed amendment, as the Council had done on 1\u00a0June, and to stand on the right side of history.<\/p>\n DANNY BEN YOSEF DANON (Israel<\/u>) said he was here today to stand up for a basic right afforded to every country in the world: the right to defend its citizens.\u00a0 The Assembly had convened two emergency sessions in the last six months, both on Israel.\u00a0 Today\u2019s meeting was about Israel\u2019s right to defend itself.\u00a0 \u201cIt is the international community\u2019s attempt to take away that right,\u201d he said, adding that the draft resolution protected neither Palestinians nor Israelis.\u00a0 \u201cBy supporting this resolution, you are colluding with a terrorist organization and empowering Hamas,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 Turkey and Algeria \u201cwere not exactly champions of human rights.\u201d\u00a0 The Palestinian rioters wanted to seize Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem and replace the Jewish State.\u00a0 \u201cWe take them at their word,\u201d he said, adding that the so-called \u201cMarch of Return\u201d was a violent attack on Israel.\u00a0 Hamas was using children\u2019s toys as weapons. \u00a0\u201cHow would you react if 40,000 rioters attempted to flood your borders,\u201d he asked. \u00a0If the rioters had breached the wall, the world would have witnessed the death of many Israelis and Palestinians.<\/p>\n It was time to expose the forces behind the situation in Gaza and draw a clear demarcation between right and wrong, he continued, reiterating that those who supported the resolution were directly supporting Hamas.\u00a0 It was Hamas that decided when to attack, when to retreat and when to send its own people straight into harm\u2019s way and even to their death.\u00a0 Hamas had been recognized as a terrorist organization by many, including Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Egypt the United Kingdom and the United States. \u00a0The Assembly\u2019s hypocrisy should come as no surprise, he said, recalling that it had called 10 emergency sessions since the founding of the Â鶹APP.\u00a0 Five had been on Israel.\u00a0 The devastation in Syria, which had claimed half a million lives and displaced 7\u00a0million people, had never resulted in an emergency session of the Assembly. \u00a0\u201cThis type of worldwide assault is reserved only for Israel,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cIt is anti-Semitism.\u201d<\/p>\n He said Israel had taken many steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, while Hamas had spent countless resources on terrorism.\u00a0 Yet, Hamas was not even mentioned once in today\u2019s resolution.\u00a0 He asked the ambassadors of Turkey, Algeria, Bangladesh, and Venezuela, authors of the resolution: \u00a0\u201cDo you support terrorism?\u201d\u00a0 Israel wanted to help the civilians in Gaza but the situation at the border was clear.\u00a0 Israel was a democracy defending itself.\u00a0 Hamas was a terrorist organization attacking Israel. \u00a0The moral majority at the Â鶹APP must not stand for that.\u00a0 To those supporting today\u2019s resolution, \u201cyou are the ammunition in Hamas\u2019 gun; you are the warheads on Hamas\u2019 missiles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n MASUD BIN MOMEN (Bangladesh<\/u>), speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said members remained extremely alarmed about the grave situation resulting from Israel\u2019s ongoing illegal and repressive policies and practices, including in recent weeks.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s occupying forces had continued with a violent onslaught against unarmed Palestinian civilians peacefully protesting Israeli occupation.\u00a0 Condemning that unlawful use of force, he called for measures based on international law to ensure desperately needed international protection for the Palestinian people.\u00a0 The Security Council\u2019s failure to take action, due to a veto cast by a permanent member, had encouraged the occupying Power to continue its aggressions and had undermined serious efforts to address the crisis in a manner that would de-escalate tensions and protect civilians.\u00a0 Without fear of accountability, Israel\u2019s occupying forces had continued their brutality, killing and advancing settlement measures.<\/p>\n For its part, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group had embarked on a joint initiative in sponsoring the draft resolution, he said.\u00a0 With its call on the Secretary-General to act, the initiative constituted a serious effort towards ensuring much-needed civilian protection in occupied territory.\u00a0 Urging Member States to support the draft as an immediate contribution to deter violence against all civilians, de-escalate tensions and ensure calm and restraint, he said fulfilling those objectives was vital for creating an environment conducive to the advancement of a decades-long effort to achieve a just, lasting, comprehensive and peaceful solution and to realize the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n SAMUEL MONCADA (Venezuela<\/u>), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, was \u201cbeyond critical,\u201d with recent violence by Israel heightening tensions, hardship and despair \u2014 notably in Gaza.\u00a0 In the context of peaceful protests, since 30\u00a0March, at least 125 civilians had been killed, including 15\u00a0children, and nearly 14,000 civilians injured by the occupying forces.\u00a0 More than 60 of those fatalities had occurred on the same day, 14\u00a0May, as the unilateral and provocative move of the Embassy of the United States from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.\u00a0 The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, while condemning Israel\u2019s excessive and disproportionate use of force, had reiterated its support for an independent and transparent investigation into those killings and for international action to ensure accountability. \u00a0The international community must redouble efforts to achieve a just, lasting and peaceful solution to the question of Palestine, based on the two-State solution and pre-1967 borders, with a view to establishing an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.<\/p>\n He called for action by the Security Council to ensure accountability for \u2014 and a cessation of \u2014 violations committed by the occupying Power.\u00a0 At the same time, the international community must ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.\u00a0 He expressed deep regret over the veto cast by the United States in the Security Council on a draft resolution aimed at addressing the recent violence.\u00a0 Israel must fully abide by its obligations under international law, he said, adding that its blockade on the Gaza Strip \u201cmust end now\u201d.\u00a0 He appealed to all Member States to support today\u2019s draft resolution, and called for full and effective implementation of all Council resolutions dealing with the question of Palestine.\u00a0 Those resolutions were legally binding on all Member States, he said, stressing that the Council must uphold the Â鶹APP Charter as well as its own resolutions to maintain its credibility.\u00a0 \u201cIt is necessary to put an end, more than ever before, to the prolonged tragedy and suffering of the Palestinian people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n JOANNE ADAMSON,\u00a0European Union<\/u>, expressing deep alarm about the sharp escalation of violence in Gaza and the high number of Palestinians killed or injured as a result, underlined the pressing need for a political solution based on internationally agreed parameters and leading to a two-State solution.\u00a0 \u201cThe Security Council has a responsibility for the peace process,\u201d she said, calling on States to support all credible efforts to restart those negotiations.\u00a0 Israel must respect the right to peaceful protests and ensure the use of proportional measures when protecting its legitimate security interests.\u00a0 Urging all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and act with utmost restraint, he said Israel\u2019s security forces must refrain from the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians.\u00a0 Lethal force should be exercised with maximum restraint and only as a last resort to protect life.\u00a0 Those leading protests in Gaza, including Hamas and other groups, also had a responsibility to avoid provocations and ensure that they remained strictly non-violent.\u00a0 Condemning the rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, he underscored the European Union\u2019s clear, consolidated position on Jerusalem as a final status issue, vowing to continue to respect the international consensus on that matter.<\/p>\n SACHA SERGIO LLORENTTY SOL\u00cdZ (Bolivia<\/u>) said promises to create a free Palestine had yet to be fulfilled after 50 years of illegal occupation.\u00a0 Parties were not on equal footing, with Israel being the occupying Power and the Palestinians living under siege.\u00a0 The occupying Power had erected an annexation wall that had been declared illegal in 2004 by the International Court of Justice, built illegal settlements, prevented the return of 6\u00a0million Palestinian refugees to their homes, detained hundreds of boys and girls, established a crippling blockade and continued an illegal occupation of lands that did not belong to it.\u00a0 Bolivia, as an elected Security Council member, had worked to address the issues.\u00a0 However, the situation had only worsened because Israel had a right of veto, with the support of a permanent Council member.\u00a0 The United States had most recently relocated its embassy to Jerusalem and had vetoed a draft resolution aimed at protecting Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 Citing Noam Chomsky, he compared the United States\u2019 relationship with Israel to its one with South Africa in the 1950s during apartheid.\u00a0 What mattered was the diplomatic cover the United States provided to Israel to continue its occupation of Palestinian territory.\u00a0 A negotiated two-State solution was the only way forward.<\/p>\n JERRY MATTHEWS MATJILA (South Africa<\/u>) said the occupation must end and protection must immediately be provided to civilians.\u00a0 The Assembly must urgently do its part to ensure civilian protection, he said, highlighting that the Security Council\u2019s inability to protect them did not absolve the entire international community from acting.\u00a0 The Assembly must serve as the moral compass, he said, underlining the importance of Member States voting in favour of the draft resolution.\u00a0 Based on international law, the draft also referred to civilian protection in armed conflict.\u00a0 He also supported the Secretary-General\u2019s suggestions on the ways and means for establishing a protection mechanism.\u00a0 The only way to build lasting peace between Israel and Palestine was through a negotiated resolution of differences, including on East Jerusalem, he said, also appealing for Member States to support UNRWA.<\/p>\n BERNARDITO CLEOPAS AUZA, Permanent Observer of the\u00a0Holy See<\/u>, echoed Pope Francis\u2019 concern about escalating tensions in the holy land and in the Middle East.\u00a0 Reiterating its call for the courage to proceed with dialogue, he said there should be no doubt that the holy city of Jerusalem was a place of great religious significance not only for the inhabitants of the holy land, but also for the worshippers of the three monotheistic Abrahamic religions worldwide.\u00a0 For that reason, the Holy See underscored the obligation of all nations to respect the historical status quo of the holy city, in accordance with the relevant Â鶹APP resolutions.\u00a0 Only an internationally guaranteed status could preserve its unique character and be an assurance of dialogue and reconciliation for peace in the region.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Algeria<\/u>\u00a0called for a no-action motion on the proposed amendment, which had been submitted by the United States but had not yet been distributed to Member States.\u00a0 As such, it was not relevant to the draft resolution\u2019s adoption.\u00a0 All issues were covered in \u201cL.23\u201d, he said, emphasizing that the goal of the draft was solely civilian protection.\u00a0 Therefore, he asked the Assembly to vote in favour of the proposed no-action motion.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Cuba<\/u>\u00a0expressed support for the no-action motion.\u00a0 The United States\u2019 proposed amendment destroyed the goal of the draft resolution and went against the objective of providing protection for the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0United States<\/u>\u00a0said the attempt to obstruct the vote was shameful, adding that denying a vote at her delegation\u2019s request would be the height of the General Assembly\u2019s hypocrisy.\u00a0 The amendment would condemn Hamas.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you afraid of to vote on this amendment?\u201d she asked.\u00a0 Recalling the basic principle to consider all relevant matters brought up by Member States, she called on all to vote \u201cno\u201d on the no-action motion.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Bangladesh<\/u>\u00a0said he supported the no-action motion.\u00a0 Attempts to shift responsibility and focus were not a genuine effort to improve L.23.\u00a0 Bangladesh urged Member States to vote for the motion.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Canada<\/u>\u00a0expressed disappointment with the no-action motion.\u00a0 Member States might have differing views, but Canada could not accept an attempt to prevent legitimate debate.\u00a0 Canada would vote against.<\/p>\n The Assembly then rejected the motion to take no action on the proposed amendment (document A\/ES-10\/L.24), by a vote of 78 against to 59 in favour, with 26 abstentions.<\/p>\n It then took up the amendment (document A\/ES-10\/L.24), voting 62 in favour to 58 against, with 42 abstentions.<\/p>\n Mr. LAJ\u010c\u00c1K, citing the Assembly\u2019s Rules of Procedure, said the Assembly did not adopt L.24 because it lacked the required two-thirds majority.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0United States<\/u>, on a point of order, said that under rule 71 of the General Assembly\u2019s Rules of Procedure, the required majority was a simple majority of those Member States present and voting. \u00a0She requested that the amendment be adopted.<\/p>\n The President of the General Assembly said that under rule 84, decisions by the Assembly on amendments to proposals relating to important questions required a two-thirds majority.\u00a0 He had ruled accordingly.\u00a0 However, the United States had appealed against his ruling.\u00a0 Pursuant to rule 71, he said the appeal would be put to a vote.\u00a0 His ruling would stand unless overruled by a majority of Member States present and voting.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0United States<\/u>\u00a0thanked the President for putting the appeal to a vote and requested that all delegations vote in favour of it.<\/p>\n The Assembly then took action on the United States\u2019 appeal to the ruling of the General Assembly President on the majority required for the adoption of L.24, rejecting it by a vote of 73 against to 66 in favour, with 26 abstentions.<\/p>\n Finally, the Assembly took up L.23, adopting the resolution by a vote of 120 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Togo, United States), with 45 abstentions.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Switzerland<\/u>, in an explanation of vote after the vote, said his delegation had voted in favour because it was important for the Assembly to support the protection of civilians as a matter of principle.\u00a0 Condemning attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilian targets, he said Switzerland would have preferred a text that reflected the group\u2019s responsibility.\u00a0 For that reason, it had voted in favour of the United States amendment.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Norway<\/u>\u00a0said the resolution did not sufficiently reflect the complexities of the situation. \u00a0Hamas and other non-State militants had been omitted from the text, and for that reason, Norway had supported the United States\u2019 amendment.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s right to protect its borders and territory had also been omitted, while the protection mechanism referred to in the text was vague and created unrealistic expectations.\u00a0 Those shortcomings did not, however, outweigh the overall message of the resolution, and Norway therefore voted in favour.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Australia<\/u>\u00a0said the resolution failed to refer to Hamas by name or its role in the Gaza protests.\u00a0 It also failed to mention Israel\u2019s legitimate security concerns, while its reference to an international mechanism could raise expectations unrealistically. \u00a0For those reasons, Australia had voted against the resolution, but it remained committed to a two-State solution.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Czechia<\/u>\u00a0said her delegation had abstained because the text would not contribute to a much-need de-escalation of the situation.\u00a0 An unbalanced message which did not mention the destructive role of Hamas would also not bring Israelis and Palestinians closer to the negotiating table, she added.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Iran<\/u>\u00a0said his delegation had voted in favour of the resolution because the international community must focus its attention on addressing the continued killing of Palestinians.\u00a0 Nowhere and under no circumstances were armed forces allowed to target a medical worker, but that had occurred, constituting a war crime.\u00a0 The occupation must end and the Palestinians should be supported to establish their own State.\u00a0 While the meeting today had shown support for them, the United States, by proposing an amendment, had supported Israel\u2019s actions unconditionally.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0New Zealand<\/u>\u00a0said his delegation voted in favour of the L.23 because it was deeply concerned about the high numbers of civilian deaths in Gaza.\u00a0 However, Hamas must be held accountable for its actions.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Mexico<\/u>\u00a0said that while his delegation had abstained, it supported the Palestinian people and calls for a protection mechanism.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0United Kingdom<\/u>\u00a0said while her delegation had abstained, it supported the two-State solution.\u00a0 However, the draft was imbalanced.\u00a0 She did not agree with the procedural decisions, noting that the majority of Member States had voted to condemn the actions of Hamas.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Argentina<\/u>\u00a0said international law must be respected fully, with all parties abstaining from attacks targeting civilians.\u00a0 He appealed for urgent measures to be taken to end the suffering of civilians.\u00a0 His delegation had abstained, but it advocated full respect for the Geneva Conventions by all parties.\u00a0 A negotiated two-State solution was the only path leading towards fulfilling the Palestinian people\u2019s aspirations and ending the conflict.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Guatemala<\/u>\u00a0condemned the violence, destruction and killings in Gaza.\u00a0 However, L.23 was not balanced and failed to give the necessary conditions for achieving a just, lasting peace, he said, noting his delegation\u2019s abstention on the draft.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Canada<\/u>\u00a0expressed concern that the resolution did not explicitly refer to Hamas and its role in recent violence.\u00a0 For that reason, Canada had supported the United States\u2019 amendment.\u00a0 On the main text, he had hoped that it would have more clearly reflected the situation on the ground, and therefore he had abstained.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Iceland<\/u>\u00a0said Israel had a right to defend itself, but the exercise of that right must be proportionate.\u00a0 Iceland supported an independent and transparent investigation into recent incidents, and urged Palestinian leaders not to inflame the situation further.\u00a0 Iceland had voted in favour of the resolution, but it would have preferred a more balanced text, and thus had supported the United States\u2019 amendment.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Singapore<\/u>, which voted against, said the resolution did not sufficiently reflect the complex situation on the ground.\u00a0 He urged all parties to exercise restraint and do their utmost to protect civilians on both sides of border while taking urgent steps to de-escalate the situation.<\/p>\n For information media. Not an official record.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY TENTH EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION,\u00a038TH MEETING (PM) GA\/12028 13 JUNE 2018 fran\u00e7ais \u2018We Cannot Remain Silent\u2019 in Face of Recent Gaza Violence, Palestine Observer Says In an emergency meeting, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution deploring the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2433,1329],"document-source":[1365,2345],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1829,1861,2005,1857,2309,2385,2117],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-142519","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-general-assembly-10th-emergency-special-session","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-fourth-geneva-convention","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-incidents","document-subject-protection","document-subject-security-issues","document-subject-terrorism","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/142519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/142519\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=142519"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=142519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nPLENARY<\/strong>
\nTENTH EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION,<\/span>\u00a038TH MEETING (PM)
\n<\/span>GA\/12028<\/strong>
\n13 JUNE 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n