The United Nations has adopted a new resolution with an overwhelming majority after it was introduced by Jordan, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
However, the resolution makes no mention of the Hamas militant group but received support from 120 countries while being opposed by only 14 others. The opposition includes Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Fiji, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and the United States.
UN Approves Resolution for Ceasefire in Gaza
On top of the votes in support and opposition to the new resolution, 45 countries abstained. It calls for an immediate ceasefire in the embattled region, the release of all civilians who were taken as hostages, the protection of civilians and international institutions, and ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
While the initiative is completely symbolic, it highlights the overwhelming international support for the Palestinians amid Israel's continued attack. Jerusalem has continued to bombard Gaza following Hamas' surprise attack on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 people, as per the Times of Israel.
Canada on the other hand has sought to have an amendment added to the new resolution to include a condemnation of Hamas. A majority of the members of the global agency supported the proposal but it fell short of the required two-thirds majority in order to be adopted.
The unanimous vote comes after two competing draft resolutions were rejected by member states on Wednesday. Russia and China both vetoed a resolution that was led by the United States calling for "humanitarian pauses" and Israel's right to defend itself.
The second draft resolution was sponsored by Russia and called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the embattled region. However, it failed to achieve enough votes from member countries to pass. The U.S. was also expected to veto the resolution if it garnered enough votes to put it on the path to approval.
Overwhelming Majority
The two resolutions were put to vote on Wednesday at the UN headquarters in New York following intense debate regarding the situation in the Middle East. The U.S.'s response to the United Nations Security Council resolution amid the Israel-Hamas conflict is in line with its historical use of its veto power to block resolutions that might be critical of Israel, according to Aljazeera.
There have been a total of 36 UNSC draft resolutions related to Israel-Palestine since 1945 that have been vetoed by one of the five permanent members. These nations are the U.S., Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France.
Most of the resolutions were drafted in an effort to provide a framework for peace in the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. They include asking Israel to adhere to international laws, calling for self-determination for Palestinian statehood, or condemning Israel for the displacement of Palestinians or settlement building in occupied Palestinian territories.
Ghana's Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Carolyn Oppong-Ntir said that her delegation voted in favor of the newest resolution. She noted that this was because the humanitarian crisis could no longer be ignored, among other reasons, said UN News.
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