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Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasiliy Nebenzia, condemned the US for “blocking a very weak call for a cessation of hostilities”. “If this document was not supported by several Arab countries, then of course we would veto it,” the Russian ambassador said.
The resolution was proposed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but its text was amended in several important areas to ensure a compromise.
The UAE ambassador to the UN, Lana Zaki Nuseibe, said the resolution “responds with action to the dire humanitarian situation”. “We know that it is not a perfect text (..) We will not stop calling for a humane ceasefire,” the ambassador said.
The resolution calls for all “roads to and through the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings,” to be open for humanitarian aid.
It also calls for the appointment of a UN humanitarian coordinator to monitor and verify third-country aid to the Gaza Strip.
An earlier version of the resolution stated that the mechanism for speeding up the delivery of aid would be “solely” under the control of the UN. The adopted resolution states that the delivery of aid will be managed in consultation with “all parties involved”, meaning that Israel will continue to provide operational oversight of aid deliveries.
UN Security Council resolutions are legally binding, but many of them have been ignored, including by Israel.
Israel announced after the resolution that it would continue to inspect all aid to the Gaza Strip “for security reasons”. Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said “the UN cannot be trusted to monitor incoming aid” and thanked the US for “maintaining certain red lines”.
2023-12-23 06:18:21
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