The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza, in a rebuke to the United States which has repeatedly blocked ceasefire calls in the UN’s Security Council.
A majority of 153 nations voted for the ceasefire resolution in the General Assembly’s emergency special session Tuesday, while 23 abstained and 10 countries voted against, including Israel and the United States, according to the UK Guardian.
While the resolution of the general assembly is non-binding, it serves as an indicator of global opinion.
The Palestinians had been hoping for an emphatic result as a demonstration of the unequivocal global desire for an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza – and they got it. By contrast, the previous UN resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” on 27 October attracted 120 votes in favour, 14 against, with 45 abstentions.
The latest vote highlighted the stiffening consensus around the world for the need for a stop to Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza which has left more than 18,000 Palestinians dead. Reports indicate that up to 70 per cent of the fatalities have been women and children.
Similarly, more than 80 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have also been displaced.
According to the Guardian, Tuesday’s adopted resolution expressed “grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population”. It calls dor the need for protection for both Israeli and Palestinian civilians under international law and demanded the immediate release of all hostages.
Relentless air strikes and an Israeli siege have created humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory that UN officials have called “hell on earth.” The Israeli military offensive has severely restricted access to food, fuel, water and electricity to the Gaza Strip.
Last week, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took the extraordinary step of invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter, which allows him to issue warnings about serious threats to international peace. The last time it was used was in 1971.
After Mr Guterres’ warning, the UN Security Council (UNSC) reached a failed resolution on Friday, which likewise called for a humanitarian ceasefire. The US vetoed that proposal, casting the sole dissenting vote and thereby dooming its passage. Unlike
UNGA votes, and UNSC resolutions have the power to be binding.
But the passage of the non-binding UNGA resolution on Tuesday likewise faced US opposition.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has firmly supported Israel’s military campaign, arguing that it must be allowed to dismantle Hamas. But as Israeli forces level entire neighbourhoods, including schools and hospitals, the US has found itself increasingly at odds with international opinion.
In remarks on Tuesday, however, Mr Biden sharpened his criticism of the Isreali Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that Israel was losing international support due to “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza.
The US, which has strongly criticised Russia for similar actions in Ukraine, has been accused of employing a double standard on human rights.
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