{"id":294642,"date":"2024-03-22T11:26:49","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T15:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=294642"},"modified":"2024-04-12T14:49:42","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T18:49:42","slug":"security-council-fails-to-adopt-resolution-on-gaza-22mar24","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/security-council-fails-to-adopt-resolution-on-gaza-22mar24\/","title":{"rendered":"Security Council Fails to Adopt Resolution on Imperative of Immediate, Sustained Ceasefire in Gaza, Owing to Vetoes Cast by China, Russian Federation- Resolution (S\/2024\/239)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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22 March 2024<\/div>\n
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9574TH MEETING (AM)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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SC\/15637<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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United States-Sponsored Text Draws Criticism for Being Ambiguous, Lacking Attribution to Israeli Authorities\u2019 Responsibility in Key Areas<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have determined the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza due to a veto cast by two permanent members of the Council \u2014 China<\/strong> and the Russian Federation<\/strong> \u2014 while some speakers criticized the text for being ambiguous and lacking attribution to the Israeli authorities in several key areas.<\/p>\n

If adopted, the resolution \u2014 presented by the United States<\/strong> \u2014 would have also urged all parties to allow and facilitate the rapid and unhindered passage of humanitarian relief to all civilians in need.<\/p>\n

By other terms, it would have emphasized its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement. \u00a0Also, it would have rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Despite being blocked by the Russian Federation<\/strong>, China<\/strong> and Algeria<\/strong>, the text garnered support from 11 Council members, including three permanent members: \u00a0the United States, United Kingdom and France.\u00a0 Guyana was the only country to abstain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be a historic mistake for this Council not to adopt this text (which) does much more than call for a ceasefire, it helps to make a ceasefire possible,\u201d stated the representative of the United States before the vote. \u00a0Noting that a Council resolution means much less if it is not made real on the ground, she said that her country has been working with Egypt and Qatar to secure an immediate ceasefire.\u00a0 \u201cWe believe we are close; unfortunately, we are not there yet.\u201d\u00a0 By adopting the text, the international community can put pressure on Hamas to accept the deal on the table, she said, adding that every day without a deal \u2014 without a ceasefire \u2014 leads to more needless suffering. \u00a0\u201cWe want to see an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that leads to the release of all hostages being held by Hamas and other groups and which will allow much more humanitarian aid into Gaza,\u201d she asserted.<\/p>\n

The speaker for the Russian Federation<\/strong> countered that the United States, four times \u201cin cold blood\u201d, cast a veto in the Security Council, with repeated justifications.\u00a0 \u201cNow the US representative \u2014 without blinking \u2014 has been asserting that Washington has finally begun to recognize the need for a ceasefire,\u201d he stated \u2014 a sluggish thought process that has cost the lives of 32,000 peaceful Palestinians.\u00a0The \u201ctypical hypocritical spectacle\u201d means the United States has been \u201ctrying to sell a product\u201d to the Council and the entire international community \u2014 with \u201cphilosophical passages about moral imperatives\u201d.\u00a0 However, to save the lives of peaceful Palestinian civilians, \u201cthis is not enough\u201d, he stressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe American product is exceedingly politicized,\u201d with the sole purpose of playing to voters, he continued.\u00a0 Washington, D.C.,\u2019s draft contains an effective green light for Israel to mount a military operation in Rafah and, as such, should not pass with most of the membership. \u00a0Those voting in favour would \u201ccover (themselves) in disgrace,\u201d he stated.\u00a0 If adopted, the resolution would definitively close the door on discussions about the need for a ceasefire in Gaza.\u00a0 He noted that several non-permanent Council members have drafted an alternative text that stipulates black-on-white the demand for both a ceasefire and the unconditional release of hostages, a balanced and apolitical document.<\/p>\n

Speaking after the vote, the representative of the United States<\/strong> underscored that her delegation today put forward a draft resolution in good faith, after consulting with all Council members, following multiple rounds of edits.\u00a0While the vast majority of the Council voted in favour, the Russian Federation and China decided to exercise their vetoes.\u00a0 She stressed that, while those States will attempt to explain their obstruction, they voted against the draft for two cynical reasons \u2014 \u201cwhether or not they will admit it\u201d.\u00a0 The first is that they could not bring themselves to condemn Hamas\u2019 7\u00a0October attacks, and the second \u2014 \u201cnot just cynical, but petty\u201d \u2014 is that they did not want to vote for a resolution penned by the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they would rather see us fail than see this Council succeed,\u201d she added.\u00a0 She further stated that Moscow \u2014 who has carried out an unprovoked war on its neighbour \u2014 \u201chas the audacity and hypocrisy to throw stones when it lives in a glass house\u201d.\u00a0 Despite their fiery rhetoric, the Russian Federation and China are not doing anything diplomatically to advance lasting peace or meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian-response effort, she emphasized, adding that the United States will continue to work alongside Qatar and Egypt to arrive at a deal and will work with any Council member to adopt a resolution that will make that deal possible.<\/p>\n

The speaker for China<\/strong> observed that the United States introduced its own draft resolution after vetoing on 20\u00a0February the overwhelming consensus among Council members for an immediate ceasefire.\u00a0 Over the past month, the draft has undergone several iterations, yet the final text remains ambiguous and does not demand an immediate ceasefire \u2014 nor does it even answer the question of realizing a ceasefire \u2014 a clear deviation from the consensus of Council members.\u00a0 To safeguard the UN Charter, and in recognition of the strong position of the Arab States, China \u2014 along with the Russian Federation and Algeria \u2014 voted against, he noted, citing a different draft resolution that he supported.<\/p>\n

Algeria\u2019s<\/strong> delegate, also speaking as a representative of the Arab world, recalled that last month, his delegation proposed a draft whose adoption could have saved thousands of innocent lives.\u00a0 While acknowledging the effort made by the United States delegation in accommodating some of Algeria\u2019s proposals, his core concern remained unaddressed. \u00a0The text today does not convey a clear message of peace \u2014 instead, it offers a laissez-passer to continue killing Palestinian civilians, with an emphasis on \u201cmeasures\u201d to reduce civilian harm and \u201cfuture operations\u201d. \u00a0This implies a license for more bloodshed, he warned, expressing concern over a devastating military operation in Rafah.\u00a0 Underscoring the vital role of the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), he noted that Algeria voted against today\u2019s text.<\/p>\n

The representative of Guyana<\/strong>, who abstained on the draft resolution, emphasized that \u2014 contrary to some media reports \u2014 the text does not call for an immediate ceasefire; instead, it \u201cdetermines the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire\u201d.\u00a0 Further, the United States draft lacked attribution in several key areas.\u00a0 While it included the condemnation of Hamas for the 7\u00a0October attacks and demanded to grant immediate humanitarian access to the hostages, there is no attribution to the Israeli authorities for what is taking place in Gaza.\u00a0 \u201cWho is responsible for 1.5\u00a0million Palestinians taking refuge in Rafah? \u00a0Who announced the planned military ground offensive there? \u00a0Who has erected and maintained the existing barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance?\u201d she asked, adding: \u201cWe know the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, \u201cif one were to read this resolution without background knowledge, it would be difficult to ascertain which party in this conflict is committing the atrocities in Gaza,\u201d she pointed out, adding that \u201cthe occupying Power\u201d is mentioned once in the draft.\u00a0 She also expressed disappointment that the only reference to UNRWA \u2014 an indispensable lifeline for Palestinians \u2014 pertained to the investigations into a small number of its staff. \u00a0While calling for an immediate and unconditional release of hostages, she underscored that the demand for a ceasefire should not be conditioned on the release of hostages.\u00a0 \u201cThe Palestinian people should not be collectively punished and held hostage for the crimes of others,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n

Painting an alarming picture of the situation in Gaza, she said that nearly 32,000 people have been killed since 7\u00a0October, the majority of whom are women and children.\u00a0 Initial UN assessments have concluded that it will take years to clear 23\u00a0million tons of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across Gaza.\u00a0 The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report projects famine between now and May\u00a02024.\u00a0 \u201cThis man-made disaster cannot be halted without an immediate ceasefire,\u201d and it is this Council’s responsibility to unequivocally demand one, she asserted.<\/p>\n

Numerous Council Members supported the text.<\/p>\n

Among them was the speaker for France<\/strong> who \u2014 calling for the unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate, lasting ceasefire \u2014 stressed that the Council must act as the \u201ccatastrophic\u201d humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens by the day.\u00a0 Citing respect for international law as an \u201cabsolute requirement\u201d, he opposed any Israeli offensive in Rafah, which can only lead to a humanitarian disaster.\u00a0 There is also an urgent need for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and he called for all crossing points to be opened \u2014 including the Port of Ashdod and direct land links from Jordan.<\/p>\n

Also recognizing the need for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, his counterpart from the United Kingdom<\/strong> said that his delegation voted in favour. \u00a0Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis, which will not improve until more aid can get into Gaza.\u00a0 Through this draft, the Council would have rightly condemned the Hamas terrorist attacks; however, it was unable to send this important message due to the vetoes cast by two permanent members.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is regrettable that another opportunity for this Council to forge a favourable response has failed to draw a consensus,\u201d said the speaker for the Republic of Korea<\/strong>, whose delegation voted in favour. \u00a0The draft resolution includes positive elements that can plant the seeds for more sustainable peace in Palestine and Israel, including support for the ongoing negotiations to achieve the release of hostages and an immediate ceasefire.<\/p>\n

The delegate for Sierra Leone<\/strong> said that he voted in favour of the resolution as it demonstrates a commitment to achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities, \u201ceven if incremental in approach\u201d.\u00a0 With an unfolding catastrophe in Gaza, his country supports initiatives that would lead to a ceasefire, alleviate human suffering, stop the forced displacement of civilians and allow for the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance.\u00a0 Sierra Leone\u2019s vote is also indicative of the urgent need for all hostages held by Hamas to be immediately released.\u00a0 Calling for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, he recognized the key role of UNRWA and all UN humanitarian agencies.<\/p>\n

The speaker for Malta<\/strong> expressed regret that the use of the veto prevented today\u2019s adoption, which would have represented \u201canother important step in the right direction\u201d and built on resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023).\u00a0 An immediate, permanent ceasefire is the only way to prevent further deterioration and begin addressing the impacts of the Israel-Hamas war.\u00a0 She also expressed support for ongoing efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to negotiate a deal allowing for the release of hostages.\u00a0Underscoring that the Council \u201ccannot be perceived to authorize any ongoing or future Israeli military operations in Rafah in any way\u201d, she said that the draft should have had \u201cstronger and more reassuring language\u201d on this matter.<\/p>\n

The representative of Slovenia<\/strong> said he voted in favour because the killing and starving of civilians in Gaza must stop and the suffering of hostages and their families must end.\u00a0 Voicing deep regret over the use of the veto by the Russian Federation and China, he said that the draft elaborated on numerous concerning aspects of the Gaza crisis.<\/p>\n

The speaker for Ecuador<\/strong>, noting that he voted in favour, voiced regret that the Council’s majority decision has not been respected due to the use of the veto and underscored that the Council must not be hostage to political rivalries.<\/p>\n

Switzerland\u2019s<\/strong> delegate said that \u201cright up until the last minute\u201d her delegation called for the text to be brought closer to an explicit request for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s failure should, under no circumstances, be interpreted as a signal to the parties to continue hostilities,\u201d she stressed, adding that a major military offensive in Rafah would significantly worsen the catastrophic plight of the civilian population and generate new obstacles to delivering humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n

The representative of Japan<\/strong>, Council President for March, spoke in his national capacity to observe that Gaza is on the brink of famine and that a looming Israeli military operation in Rafah only threatens to deepen the humanitarian catastrophe.\u00a0 \u201cThis should not proceed under any circumstances,\u201d he underscored.\u00a0 Noting that his delegation voted in favour of today\u2019s resolution, he said that, if adopted, it could have advanced ongoing diplomatic efforts towards an immediate, sustained ceasefire and the release of hostages.\u00a0 A deal must be concluded as soon as possible, he said, stressing:\u00a0 \u201cThose in Gaza and beyond cannot wait another day.\u201d<\/p>\n

For his part, Israel\u2019s<\/strong> delegate expressed gratitude to the United States and its determination to \u201ccondemn the Hamas monsters\u201d and its conviction that the release of the hostages \u201cis not something that can be postponed\u201d \u2014 showing true moral clarity.\u00a0 The resolution, had it passed, would have marked a moment of morality for the UN, the very first time that the Council or any UN body had condemned Hamas and its brutal massacre.\u00a0 \u201cYet sadly, for purely political reasons, this resolution did not pass and terrorists can continue benefiting from this Council whitewashing their crimes,\u201d he stated.\u00a0The Council\u2019s decision to not condemn Hamas \u201cis a stain that will never be forgotten\u201d.\u00a0 He noted that the numbers of civilian casualties supplied by the terrorists \u201care quoted as if they are the word of God\u201d \u2014 yet these numbers are merely the lies of Hamas that the UN is so quick to parrot.<\/p>\n

He stated that Hamas knows that it cannot defeat Israel militarily, so its goal is to annihilate Israel by terrorizing its civilians while weaponizing the international community, using Gazans as human shields to maximize civilian casualties.\u00a0 \u201cPlease remember:\u00a0 for Israel, every civilian death is a tragedy; for Hamas, civilian deaths are a strategy,\u201d he stated \u2014 and sadly the Council is \u201cplaying into Hamas\u2019 strategy exactly as they predicted\u201d.\u00a0 Israel is a law-abiding democracy, making every effort to minimize collateral damage, taking steps that no other military in any other conflict has ever taken.\u00a0 The conflict bears the lowest civilian-to-combatant ratio in the history of urban warfare, he said, condemning the \u201clibelous narrative of famine in Gaza\u201d and affirming there is no limit to humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza.\u00a0 No country seeks to avoid an operation in Rafah more than Israel, but \u201cyou cannot put out a fire by extinguishing most of it\u201d, he said, affirming that any ceasefire passes through Rafah.\u00a0 Israel will never surrender and will always fight for its existence, he asserted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

22 March 2024 9574TH MEETING (AM) SC\/15637 United States-Sponsored Text Draws Criticism for Being Ambiguous, Lacking Attribution to Israeli Authorities\u2019 Responsibility in Key Areas The Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have determined the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza due to a veto cast by two permanent […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[660,759,807,834,867,906,969,1065,1074,5836,1119,1152,2553],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1362],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[2517,1769,1945,2265,2005,1741,1745],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-294642","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-algeria","country-china","country-ecuador","country-france","country-guyana","country-japan","country-malta","country-republic-of-korea","country-russian-federation","country-sierra-leone","country-slovenia","country-switzerland","country-united-states-of-america","document-category-press-release","document-source-security-council","document-subject-access-and-movement","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-ceasefire","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294642","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\/299"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":294730,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294642\/revisions\/294730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=294642"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=294642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}