UN General Assembly demands ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza, supports UNRWA. gaza news
The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to demand an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and expressed support for the work of the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNRWA).
The assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, which was adopted by 13 votes to 158 in favor and nine against in the 193-member assembly.
A second motion expressing support for UNRWA and condemning a new Israeli law that would ban the UN agency’s operations in Israel was passed with 159 votes in favor, nine against and 11 abstentions.
That resolution demands that Israel respect UNRWA’s mandate and calls on the Israeli government to “comply with its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA, and allow full, rapid, safe and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance in all forms.” calls upon us to uphold our responsibility to give and facilitate.” In and around the entire Gaza Strip”.
Both votes came at the conclusion of two days of speeches at the United Nations, where one speaker after another called for an end to Israel’s 14-month war on the Palestinian territory, which has killed at least 44,805 people – mostly Palestinian women and children – and 106,257 were injured.
“Gaza no longer exists,” Slovenia’s UN ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the General Assembly meeting. “It has been destroyed. Civilians are facing hunger, despair and death,” he said.
“There is no reason for this war to continue. We need a ceasefire now. We need to bring the hostages home now,” he said.
Algeria’s Deputy UN Ambassador Nassim Gaouaoui addressed the world’s inability to stop the war in Gaza, saying: “The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be even heavier tomorrow.”
“The message from these two resolutions is clear,” said Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from UN headquarters in New York.
“Number one, UNRWA needs to be preserved and their mandate needs to be protected and strengthened. Of course, Israel is trying to destroy UNRWA. They’ve made that very clear for several months,” Elizondo said.
“And the second message it sends is that the overwhelming majority of the world is demanding once again an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” he said.
Israel, America vote against UN resolution
Israel and its staunchest ally, the United States, were among a small minority of countries and their representatives speaking and voting against resolutions at the UN.
US Deputy UN Ambassador Robert Wood reiterated Washington’s opposition to the ceasefire resolution ahead of the vote and criticized Palestinians for failing to mention a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed an estimated 1,139 people and More than 200 Israelis were killed. Captive in Gaza.
He said, “At a time when Hamas feels isolated by the ceasefire in Lebanon, the draft resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza risks sending a dangerous message to Hamas that there is no need to negotiate or release hostages.” Is.”
Ahead of the UN vote, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused supporters of the resolution of colluding with Hamas.
Dannon said, “By demanding a ceasefire today without addressing the hostages, this Assembly will once again side with those who weaponize human suffering.”
While UN Security Council resolutions are legally binding, General Assembly resolutions are not, although they reflect world opinion.
Palestinians and their supporters went to the General Assembly after the US vetoed a Security Council resolution demanding an immediate Gaza ceasefire on November 20.
The language of the ceasefire resolution adopted by the Assembly is identical to the text of the vetoed Security Council resolution, and calls for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire to be respected by all parties”, as well as “immediately demanding Also repeats. and the unconditional release of all hostages”.
Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the assembly’s special session on the issue that Gaza is the “bleeding heart of Palestine”.
“The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their stomachs, no hope and no horizon for the future, and suffering pain and loss for more than a year, disturb the conscience of the world. We must do this and take immediate action to end this nightmare,” Mansoor said.
