UN General Assembly calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza by overwhelming majority

O UN General Assembly approved this Tuesday by an overwhelming majority of 153 votes in favor, against 10 against and 23 abstentions, a resolution that calls for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Linka much greater result than that achieved on November 28 to request the cessation of hostilities.

Among the countries that voted against, in addition to Israel It is U.Sthere were some European states (Austria, Czech Republic), as well as small countries in Pacific, Guatemala It is Paraguaywhile among abstentionists it was observed for the first time Argentinawho joined the position of Italy, Germany It is Ukraine.

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At the end of the vote, many countries emphatically applauded the result, which received much more support (153 compared to 120 on the last occasion) in this international call for a ceasefire, although the Assembly’s votes are not binding.

Today’s resolution was “of minimums” and focused on calling for a ceasefire against “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza strip and the suffering of the Palestinian population”, although it also included a call for the release of all hostages, and did not mention Hamas by his name.

Before the resolution itself, the Assembly rejected two amendments that attempted to introduce Austria and the United States, in the first case, to explicitly condemn attacks by the armed wing of Hamas in the past October 7th and in the second, also introduce a condemnation of the sexual violence allegedly committed by members of Hamas in this attack and in the treatment of their hostages.

Today’s vote was requested by two groups of countries, the Arab and the Islamic, after the veto introduced by the United States last Friday on a resolution with almost similar content and which was supported by thirteen of the fifteen members of the security advice but failed to move forward after the US veto.

In accordance with the regulations of the UNwhenever a resolution is vetoed in the Council, it is discussed in the Assembly at the request of at least two members.

In today’s session, the President of the Assembly Dennis Franciscowho usually limits himself to procedural interventions without speaking out, took the floor at the beginning of the session and proclaimed: “I wonder how many thousands more lives will have to be lost before we do something. There is no more time. This carnage must stop. Therefore, I add my voice to the demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”.

The United States, Israel’s steadfast ally, based its opposition because – in the words of its UN ambassador, Linda Thomas Greenfield– “Any ceasefire at this time would be at best temporary and at worst dangerous for the Israelis, who would find themselves subject to merciless attacks, as well as dangerous for the Palestinians, who deserve the opportunity for a better future, free from Hamas.”.

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Thomas-Greenfield lamented that her country could not support “a biased Security Council nor a General Assembly that ignores everything we defend”.

The same ideas were repeated by the Israeli ambassador, Gilad Erdanwho, true to his style, went further in rhetoric, saying that “Everyone who supports this resolution is giving terrorists a free pass (because) a ceasefire means only one thing: the survival of Hamas”.

He added that resolutions of this type make the UN “in a moral stain on humanity”, as well as contributing to its irrelevance.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.