He Security Council of the UN approved this Friday a resolution to promote the sending of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Stripafter a week of intense negotiations.
The initiative, presented by United Arab Emirates (UAE), had to be rewritten several times due to objections from USA, who has veto power in the organization and who finally abstained, like Russia.
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The text asks the secretary general of the UN, Antonio Guterresto appoint a special coordinator to monitor and verify the sending of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave, subjected to constant bombing after the start of the war between Israel and Hamaslast October 7.
The resolution was in danger until the last moment. Just before the vote, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasili Nebenziaproposed an amendment to recover a mention that the original text made of the need to pause hostilities to allow the entry of humanitarian aid.
This phrase was replaced, after the objections of USA., for a somewhat vaguer mention of the need to give “urgent steps” for a cessation of hostilities.
The Russian amendment was supported by a majority of countries in the Advice but vetoed by USA.
Ultimately, Russia abstained, allowing the resolution to move forward.
In statements prior to the start of the vote, the Emirati ambassador to the UN, Lana Nusseibehadmitted that his text “Is not perfect“, and that only a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will serve to alleviate the terrible humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian enclave, where they have already died more than 20,000 people.
The resolution asks the secretary general of the UN to appoint a humanitarian coordinatorwhich must present a mechanism to accelerate the sending of aid and present a plan in the next twenty days.
The text was scheduled to be voted on Monday, but it was delayed day after day to give countries time to negotiate a language that could have the support of all capitals.
USA has already vetoed two resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Looparguing on one occasion that he did not recognize Israel’s right to defend itself and on another that he did not demand the release of all the hostages in the hands of Hamas as a condition for stopping fighting.
Another resolution, presented by the US, to ask “humanitarian breaks” was vetoed by Russia and China last October 25.
Before today’s meeting, the Security Council had already met on six occasions to discuss the issue of Looparriving only on one occasion to agree on a resolution without vetoes to request “urgent and prolonged humanitarian pauses” in the war. Then, the United States also chose to abstain.
