UN security council passes resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza after US abstains
For the first time the UN security council has voted for a call for a ceasefire in Gaza, after the US abstained, rather than using its veto as it has done on previous occasions. Russia and China have also previously vetoed texts.
The resolution that passed was written by the 10 elected members to the council, and proposed in the chamber by Mozambique’s representative.
Russia attempted to amend the text by restoring it to an earlier draft which included the word “permanent”, but the bid failed.
14 members of the UN security council voted for the resolution, while the US abstained.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier threatened to cancel a planned delegation to Washington if the US did not exercise its veto.
Key events
Here’s more from the White House’s spokesperson, John Kirby, who was speaking with reporters following the UN security council vote on Gaza.
Kirby insisted that the US decision to abstain from the UN vote does not represent a shift in policy, the Jerusalem Post reported, quoting him as saying:
We have been clear, and we’ve been consistent in our support for a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal. That’s how the hostage deal is structured. We wanted to get to a place where we could support that resolution, but because the final text does not have key language that we think is essential like a condemnation of Hamas, we could not support it.
White House says it has not been informed of any change in Israeli visit plans
The White House has said it has not been informed of any change in plans for an Israeli delegation to visit Washington, despite reports that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has cancelled the visit.
White House spokesperson John Kirby, speaking to reporters, said US officials would still meet for separate talks with Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, on hostages, humanitarian aid and protecting civilians in Rafah.
Asked about reports that the other Israeli visit has been cancelled, Kirby said:
We were looking forward to having a discussion (about) alternatives and options to a major ground offensive because we don’t believe that a ground offensive in Rafah is the right course of action.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has cancelled a planned trip to Washington by his top aides, Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi, according to reports.
A statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office accused the US of harming Israel’s war effort and attempts to free hostages by its decision not to use a veto to block a UN security council resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.
The US decision marks “a clear retreat from the consistent US position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war,” and one that “gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to get a ceasefire without releasing our hostages,” the statement says.
Netanyahu cancels Israel delegation visit to the White House – reports
Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled the Israeli delegation to the White House, according to Israeli media reports, after the US dropped a threat to veto a UN security council vote demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
A statement by the Israeli prime minister’s office, carried by Israel’s state-owned Kann, reads:
The US retreated from its consistent position in the Security Council linking a ceasefire with the release of the hostages.
#BREAKING Netanyahu canceled the Israeli delegation to the White House and said the US has backed down from its policy of tying a ceasefire to the release of hostages by not vetoing the UNSC Gaza ceasefire resolution. https://t.co/CtGl0T1Mp7
— Lahav Harkov 🎗️ (@LahavHarkov) March 25, 2024
Before the vote, the Israeli prime minister threatened to cancel a visit to Washington DC by an Israeli delegation set for early this week to discuss a planned Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah in Gaza, something the Biden administration opposed.
UN chief: Failure to implement ‘long-awaited’ resolution would be ‘unforgivable’
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, has called on the resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to be implemented, adding that “failure would be unforgivable”.
A social media post by Guterres reads:
The Security Council just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable.
The Security Council just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 25, 2024
At the UN security council meeting, US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has criticised what she said was the cynical approach of Russia and China, and said the US was disappointed that the resolution still does not go far enough as to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
She said:
Just last week, Russia and China vetoed a resolution that condemned this horrific attack, a resolution the vast majority of this council supported.
They have shown time and time again that they are not actually interested in advancing a durable peace through diplomatic efforts.
Nor for all their rhetoric are they interested in making any meaningful contributions to humanitarian efforts. Instead, they are using this devastating conflict as a political cudgel to try to divide this council at a time when we need to come together. It is deeply deeply cynical. And we should all see through it.
Regarding Hamas, Thomas-Greenfield said:
We appreciated the willingness of members of this Council to take some of our edits and improve on this resolution. Still, certain key edits were ignored, including our requests to add a condemnation of Hamas. And we did not agree with everything in the resolution. For that reason, we were unfortunately not able to vote yes.
Critically, a ceasefire and the release of hostages will allow much more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza at a time when famine is looming large and provide an opportunity to work toward a sustainable cessation of hostilities, and toward a future where Hamas can no longer threaten Israel, and never repeat 7 October.
[A future where Hamas] no longer controls Gaza and uses civilians as shields. A future where Palestinians and Israelis live side-by-side in peace and two democratic states of their own. Something that will never happen with Hamas, a terrorist organisation dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews. A terrorist organisation this body still fails to condemn, controlling Gaza.
This resolution rightly acknowledges that during the month of Ramadan, we must recommit to peace. Hamas can do that by accepting the deal on the table. A ceasefire can begin immediately with the release of the first hostage and so we must put pressure on Hamas to do just that.
Abstention at UN marks new rift between Biden administration and the Netanyahu government
Julian Borger
A snap piece of analysis from my colleague Julian Borger in Washington:
The US abstention marks a rift with the Netanyahu government, reflecting mounting frustration in Washington at the prime minister’s defiant insistence Israeli forces will go ahead with the Rafah attack, and at continued Israeli hindrance of humanitarian aid deliveries.
While the resolution demands a temporary ceasefire during the remainder of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, it adds that should lead to a “lasting sustainable ceasefire”. In a late amendment demanded by the US, the word “lasting” was substituted for “permanent”, to Russian objections. A Russian effort to restore the word “permanent” was defeated by 11 votes to three.
At the last minute on Monday morning, the US asked for an amendment adding a condemnation of Hamas for its attack on Israel on 7 October leading to urgent huddles of diplomats on the chamber floor, but dropped that demand when it became clear the amendment would be resisted.
US says it is ‘working round the clock’ to try and secure ceasefire and hostage release deal, but is ‘not there yet’
Linda Thomas-Greenfield has said that the US is working around the clock to try and get a ceasefire deal and hostage release deal done, but is not there yet.
She opened her speech with this message:
Colleagues, today this council spoke out in support of the ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the US, Qatar, Egypt to bring about an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, secure the immediate release of all hostages, and help alleviate the tremendous suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are in dire need of protection and life saving humanitarian assistance.
The United States fully supports these critical objectives. In fact, they were the foundation of the resolution we put forward last week, a resolution that Russia and China vetoed.
But colleagues, the United States support for these objectives is not simply rhetorical. We’re working around the clock to make them real on the ground through diplomacy, because we know that it is only through diplomacy that we can push this agenda forward.
We’re getting closer to a deal for an immediate ceasefire with the release of all hostages, but we’re not there yet.
Now let’s be clear. A ceasefire could have come about months ago, if Hamas had been willing to release hostages months ago. Instead, Hamas continues to stand in the way of peace to throw up roadblocks cower in tunnels beneath Gaza cities and behind under civilian infrastructure and hide among the civilian population.
US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield is now speaking. She opened by directly offering condolences to Russia over the Crocus City Hall terror attack in Moscow.
UN security council passes resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza after US abstains
For the first time the UN security council has voted for a call for a ceasefire in Gaza, after the US abstained, rather than using its veto as it has done on previous occasions. Russia and China have also previously vetoed texts.
The resolution that passed was written by the 10 elected members to the council, and proposed in the chamber by Mozambique’s representative.
Russia attempted to amend the text by restoring it to an earlier draft which included the word “permanent”, but the bid failed.
14 members of the UN security council voted for the resolution, while the US abstained.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier threatened to cancel a planned delegation to Washington if the US did not exercise its veto.
In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid has described prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier threat to withdraw a delegation to the US if it didn’t use its veto at the UN security council as “alarming irresponsibility from a prime minister who has lost it.”
Algeria’s representative to the UN security council, Amar Bendjama, is speaking now. He said finally the security council was shouldering its responsibility.
He said:
I would like to thank all the council members for their flexibility and the constructive way that allowed us today to adopt this long awaited resolution. A resolution that calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in order to put an end to the massacres that, unfortunately, are still ongoing after the past five months.
UN security council resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire passes
The UN security council has passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, avoiding a veto by any of the major powers.
Previous attempts to get a resolution passed had faced multiple hurdles as the US, China and Russia used their vetos. The US abstained.
More details soon …
The US has abstained
The US has voted against the proposed Russian amendment, 11 countries abstained including the UK. The Russian amendment, which is attempting to restore the text to an earlier draft, has failed.
The Russian representative says the changes to the text and the way it has been handled has been unacceptable. Russia is trying to restore the word “permanent” to the opening paragraph.
Russia is next to the floor, and has opened by saying Russia is disappointed with the way the text has been altered over the last 24 hours.
Mozambique’s representative has made the point that the ten elected members of the UN security council have repeatedly unanimously backed resolutions calling for a ceasefire. He said:
We have proposed the present resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire during the sacred period, leading to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire at the same time. The draft resolution demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and emphasises that humanitarian access must be allowed to address their medical and other humanitarian needs [in Gaza].
Mozambique representative Pedro Comissário Afonso is introducing the resolution, saying the situation in Gaza is a matter of gave concern to the entire international community.
