{"id":294085,"date":"2024-03-05T13:02:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T18:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=294085"},"modified":"2024-04-03T10:03:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T14:03:35","slug":"general-assembly-meeting-coverage-5mar24","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/general-assembly-meeting-coverage-5mar24\/","title":{"rendered":"Veto of Security Council Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza Emboldens Israel to Continue Crimes against Palestinian people, Speakers Tell General Assembly – General Assembly – Meeting Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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5 March 2024<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION,<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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60TH & 61ST<\/div>\n
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GA\/12586<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The use of the Security Council veto by the United States to block an Algerian draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza only emboldens Israel to continue its crimes against the Palestinian people, speakers warned the General Assembly today, stressing that the humanitarian situation in the enclave is catastrophic and worsening as a result.<\/p>\n

In April 2022, the Assembly adopted a resolution on \u201cStanding mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council\u201d (document\u00a0A\/RES\/76\/262<\/a>), which has come to be described as the \u201cveto initiative\u201d.\u00a0 Today\u2019s meeting was triggered by the use of veto by the United States on 20\u00a0February to reject the adoption of a Council resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.<\/p>\n

The representative of Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, aligning himself with the Gulf Cooperation Council<\/strong>, the Arab Group and the\u00a0Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)<\/strong>, stressed that the use of the veto by United States was an obstacle to ending the bloodshed in Gaza.\u00a0 He called upon the international community to uphold its responsibility to end the war and its escalation, cautioning against the announced invasion of Rafah \u2014 which portends further devastation as a result of the forced displacement imposed by the Israeli army, continuing its heinous violations.\u00a0 Calling for implementation of Council resolution 2720 (2023), he stressed that the current crisis is a consequence of the international community\u2019s failure to end the occupation and implement a two-State solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are meeting today with heavy hearts\u201d said the representative of Egypt<\/strong>, aligning himself with the Arab Group and OIC. \u00a0Current efforts to reach an agreement on release of hostages and prisoners and adopt a ceasefire will not be obstructed by a Council resolution calling for the same objective.\u00a0 In fact, it will bolster such diplomatic efforts, and give hope to Gaza\u2019s civilians, whereas the repeated use of veto only emboldens Israel to continue its crimes, he stressed.\u00a0 The diplomatic negotiations under way do not in any way run counter to the Council\u2019s fulfilment of its mandate, he pointed out.<\/p>\n

Nicaragua\u2019s<\/strong> delegate, aligning himself with the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations<\/strong>, recalled that the United States has used its veto in the Security Council on 45 occasions on the situation in the Middle East, including 19 negative votes on the question of Palestine since 1972 \u2014 a clear demonstration of disrespect for the international community and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.\u00a0 He\u00a0strongly condemned the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people, accompanied by statements from Israel\u2019s highest authorities that clearly express a genocidal intention.<\/p>\n

The representative of the Russian Federation<\/strong> noted that for the fourth time, the Assembly was meeting to listen to \u201cspurious excuses\u201d from the United States in connection with yet another veto.\u00a0 The outcome of its diplomatic efforts is well-known:\u00a0slaughter continues in Gaza, with more than 30,000 dead in five months \u2014\u00a0aggravated by Israel\u2019s smear campaign against the\u00a0United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).\u00a0 The Russian Federation has worked tirelessly for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza since the first days after the events of 7\u00a0October\u00a02023, which he condemned.\u00a0 However, responding with methods of collective punishment of Palestinian civilians is unacceptable and contrary to international law.<\/p>\n

The representative of Sri Lanka<\/strong> underscored that use of the veto in recent\u00a0<\/strong>times has been in clear contravention of the Charter, expressing concern that the veto was used against the will of the overwhelming Council majority.\u00a0 The last remaining hospitals in Gaza are about to collapse and a famine is imminent, he warned. \u00a0Meanwhile, small as it is, Sri Lanka has created a fund of $1\u00a0million for assistance to the children of Gaza. \u00a0How ironic to be discussing the Pact of the Future during such grim events, he reflected, adding \u201cwhose future?\u201d \u00a0That future should include the children of Gaza, he underscored.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Namibia\u2019s<\/strong> delegate affirmed that the Council should not shield the violators of international law nor shy away from the robust guardrails that protect civilians and humanitarians during conflict.\u00a0While ample times must be given for diplomatic efforts, he said, \u201cwe have not seen results that warrant more time for such efforts\u201d.\u00a0 Stressing the need for an immediate ceasefire that will end the violence and enable rapid provision of humanitarian aid, he said it was counter-intuitive to veto Algeria\u2019s draft resolution because it does not single out a party to the conflict.<\/p>\n

The representative of Jordan<\/strong>, aligning himself with the Arab Group<\/strong>, expressed concern that the Council failed yet again to carry out its responsibilities as the Israeli war enters the sixth month.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s continued aggression is the result of this failure, he said, highlighting the massacre conducted by that country\u2019s army on civilians on Al-Rashid Street as yet another war crime.\u00a0 He also stressed Jordan\u2019s authority to manage all affairs concerning the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including management of the entrance.\u00a0 Preventing Muslims from entering the mosque, especially during Ramadan, is illegal, he said, adding that it could be the harbinger of yet another spiral of violence.<\/p>\n

The representative of the League of Arab States<\/strong>, in its capacity as observer, aligning himself with the Arab Group<\/strong>, stressed that the right of self-defence does not apply to territories occupied by force. \u00a0The United States will not succeed in justifying its use of the veto for the fourth time against a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire, especially as the resolution references deteriorating humanitarian conditions pushing people to the brink of famine. \u00a0Noting that Washington D.C.\u2019s negotiations seek to achieve \u201cmerely a humanitarian pause to ensure the release of Israeli hostages\u201d, he criticized the absence of the Council and the Assembly from this deal, leading to increased intransigence by Israel. \u00a0\u201cThis is why no deal has been achieved so far,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Syria\u2019s<\/strong> delegate stressed that Israel is committing crimes not only in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but also in his country and Lebanon. \u00a0The counter-draft by the United States is an attempt to divert attention from how it prevented the Council from maintaining its peace; it is also about giving Israel more time to commit its crimes.\u00a0 Noting that the United States opened its weapons depot and offered weapons, munitions and expertise to Israel, he underscored that the country is directly involved in killing thousands of Palestinians and destroying infrastructure, including United Nations schools.<\/p>\n

The representative of T\u00fcrkiye<\/strong> warned that \u201cA new episode of the tragedy is under way in Rafah,\u201d adding that any violation of the historical status of Haram Al-Sharif could add fuel to fire, especially on the eve of Ramadan. \u00a0Condemning the killing of civilians waiting desperately for a food convoy, she asked delegates to reflect on what all this means for the future of human rights and the United Nations. \u00a0Warning that this breakdown of international law could unleash more aggression around the world, she said its repercussions will go far beyond the region which has already seen spillover conflict.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United Arab Emirates<\/strong> called upon all States to continue working towards adopting a ceasefire resolution regardless of the challenges, pointing to the possible spillover of the conflict and the approaching of the holy month of Ramadan. \u00a0Highlighting the mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, he emphasized the need for halting incitement rhetoric \u2014 a practice his country condemns. \u00a0The war and the broader Palestinian issue highlighted the repercussions of veto misuse and failure to implement resolutions, making \u201cSecurity Council reform a matter of priority\u201d, he stressed.<\/p>\n

Echoing that call for reform, the representative of Brazil<\/strong> stressed that developing countries can no longer be kept at the margin of Council decision-making, calling for adequate representation.\u00a0 Asking how long Palestinians will wait for diplomatic efforts to succeed, he stressed that there is no legal basis for the establishment of settlements in any of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. \u00a0Like 138 members of the United Nations, Brazil has recognized the State of Palestine and strongly supports its admission to as a full member. \u00a0This would help create conditions for the peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he affirmed.<\/p>\n

With Ramadan approaching, China\u2019s<\/strong> delegate stressed that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is a prerequisite to save innocent civilians, and key to avoiding further escalation of the conflict. \u00a0He urged Israel to immediately reverse its plans for an offensive against Rafah and stop the forced transfer and collective punishment of the Palestinian population \u2014 calling on the countries concerned to put aside geostrategic considerations and play a constructive role.\u00a0 With 600,000 people on the verge of famine and social order on the brink of collapse, he called on Israel \u2014 as an occupying Power \u2014 to guarantee safe, rapid and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and cease discrediting the two-State solution.<\/p>\n

The representative of South Africa<\/strong>, expressing concern that some will uphold Israel\u2019s so-called right to defend itself against a population it illegally occupies until there are no Palestinians left in Gaza, condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war.\u00a0Her country had to resort to international judicial mechanisms to seek justice for the Palestinian people. \u00a0At this point, there is no credible basis for Israel to claim that its military actions comply with international law, including the Genocide Convention, she said. \u00a0Hamas also violated international law and must be held accountable, she said, reiterating the call for the immediate release of all hostages. \u00a0Expressing support for UNRWA, she urged the Assembly to consider alternate approaches to supporting the Agency with predictable funding, while donor Governments must resume and scale up funding.<\/p>\n

The representative of France<\/strong> stressed that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza requires the international community to avoid the collapse of\u00a0UNRWA\u00a0\u2014 while also welcoming\u00a0the first measures taken by the Secretary-General to ensure the neutrality of the Agency and to shed light on the grave allegations against 12 UNRWA employees.\u00a0 He stressed that it is unacceptable that the\u00a0Council and the Assembly have not yet condemned the barbaric terrorist acts committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7\u00a0October \u2014 calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and for Israeli operations to end.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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…<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

5 March 2024 SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION, 60TH & 61ST GA\/12586   The use of the Security Council veto by the United States to block an Algerian draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza only emboldens Israel to continue its crimes against the Palestinian people, speakers warned the General Assembly today, stressing that the humanitarian situation […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[723,759,810,834,897,909,1005,1020,1593,1074,1098,1128,1137,2241,1182,1197],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[4868,1365,2881,4553,2705],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[2517,1769,5811,2005,6848,6844],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-294085","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-brazil","country-china","country-egypt","country-france","country-israel","country-jordan","country-namibia","country-nicaragua","country-palestine-state-of","country-russian-federation","country-saudi-arabia","country-south-africa","country-sri-lanka","country-syria","country-turkiye","country-united-arab-emirates","document-category-press-release","document-source-arab-group-the","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-gulf-cooperation-council","document-source-league-of-arab-states-las","document-source-organization-of-islamic-cooperation-oic","document-subject-access-and-movement","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-convention-genocide","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-hostages","document-subject-war-crimes","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294085\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":294099,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/294085\/revisions\/294099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=294085"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=294085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}