The resolution has been approved by 14 votes in favor, zero votes against and one abstention, that of the US. This comes after Russia and China vetoed a resolution proposal presented by Washington on Friday.
The UN Security Council today approved, for the first time and after four previous failed attempts, a resolution unequivocally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, where continued Israeli attacks have killed 32,300 people in Gaza. less than six months.
The resolution has been approved by 14 votes in favor, zero votes against and one abstention, that of the United States, and when it was approved it sparked applause from the room, something that rarely happens. This comes after Russia and China vetoed a proposed resolution presented by Washington on Friday.
In the resolution, the Council “calls for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan (which ends on April 9) and leads to a lasting ceasefire”, while calling for –but it doesn’t link it– “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” held by Hamas.
It also underlines “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance and strengthen the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip” and calls on Israel (whom he does not name) to “lift all barriers to this humanitarian aid.”
The resolution has been presented by the ten non-permanent members of the Council, among which there are African, Asian, European and Latin American states, which gives an idea of the global perception of urgency.
The uncertainty about its approval has remained until the last minute, as Russia has demanded that there be a separate vote to introduce the word “permanent” after the ceasefire – with the understanding that “durable” would allow Israel to continue with the attacks. -, but that amendment has not been approved.
The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, compared what happened in Gaza on Sunday to the apocalypse: “Looking at Gaza, it almost seems that the four horsemen of war, hunger, conquest and death are galloping through it,” he said in Egypt, after emphasizing that nothing justifies collective punishment of the Palestinians. The UN Secretary General today applauded the approval of the resolution, and recalled that “it would be unforgivable to fail (in) implementing it.”
On previous occasions, the United States – an unconditional ally of Israel – vetoed three resolutions because according to Washington, a ceasefire would allow the rearmament of Hamas.
Requests to Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza had so far fallen on deaf ears, despite the fact that more and more states have joined these calls, including European ones –France, Germany or the United Kingdom– which at the beginning were closer to Israel and other allies that have also evolved as Canada or Japanleaving the United States as the last unbreakable ally of the Zionist state.
Netanyahu cancels trip of his top advisors to the US for not vetoing the resolution
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled the visit of two of his top advisers to Washington this week because the US has not used its veto but instead abstained.
For his part, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petrohas called on the international community to break diplomatic relations with Israel if it fails to comply with the resolution.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albareshas celebrated that “finally” the Security Council has approved a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Source: Eitb
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