A vote at the UN Security Council on a new text calling for an “immediate” ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was postponed to tomorrow, diplomatic sources said, after China and Russia on Friday vetoed a separate US-lead draft resolution.
The US, Israel’s main ally and military backer, had put forward a resolution mentioning “the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire” and condemning an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.
Russia and China vetoed that resolution, which was also opposed by Arab states for stopping short of explicitly demanding Israel immediately end its campaign in Gaza.
Photo: AFP
The new ceasefire text was meant to go to a vote yesterday, but was pushed back to allow further discussions, the diplomatic sources said.
The new, tougher draft resolution “demands an immediate ceasefire” for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan that leads “to a permanent sustainable ceasefire” respected by all sides.
Eight of the council’s 10 nonpermanent members have been working on the draft, which also calls for the “immediate and unconditional” release of hostages seized by Hamas and the lifting of “all barriers” to humanitarian aid flowing into the besieged Gaza Strip.
“We as [the] Arab Group unanimously endorse and support the draft resolution,” said Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN Riyad Mansour, who had denounced the US-led text as biased.
However, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield indicated opposition, saying that the resolution would jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages — the same reason the US gave before vetoing previous ceasefire resolutions.
“In its current form, that text fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table,” she said.
Friday’s text did not explicitly use the word “call,” but simply stated that a ceasefire was imperative, and linked to ongoing talks, led by Qatar with support from the US and Egypt, to halt fighting in return for Hamas releasing hostages.
“If the US is serious about a ceasefire, then please vote in favor of the other draft resolution, clearly calling for a ceasefire,” Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun (張軍) said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia and China of “cynically” using their vetoes to block the US-backed resolution.
“On the resolution, which got very strong support, but then was cynically vetoed by Russia and China, I think we were trying to show the international community a sense of urgency about getting a ceasefire,” Blinken told reporters in Israel on Friday.
He spoke after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Israel’s handling of its war to eradicate Hamas from Gaza, including plans for a major offensive into Rafah.
Global concern has surged over the threatened Israeli ground operation in the south Gaza city, where 1.5 million civilians are holed up, most of them displaced from other parts of the territory.
Netanyahu said he told Blinken that he hoped to launch the operation “with the support of the United States, but if we need to, we will do it alone.”
Blinken told reporters after the meeting that a major ground offensive in Rafah “risks further isolating Israel around the world.”
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