U.N. General Assembly on December 12 voted overwhelmingly in favour of an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. This came in as a strong demonstration of global support for ending the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The votes also reflect the growing isolation of the United States and Israel in this war.
The Resolution passed at U.N. General Assembly
Among the 193 members at the UN, there were 153 members, including India, that voted in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza. There were 10 members, which included Israel, the USA, Austria, Czechia, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papa New Guinea, and Paraguay, who voted against this. Along with this, there were 23 absentees.
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This decision comes after the meeting that was held in the Security Council on Friday demanding a humanitarian cease-fire, in which the United States cast a veto vote. Immediately after this, Arab and Islamic nations called in for an emergency meeting at the UN General Assembly to achieve a resolution on the same demand.
U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric commented that General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding like Security Council resolutions, but they are important and reflect worldwide opinion. This appears to be true as the votes at the UN Assembly reflect that the United States, the closest ally of Israel, is growing isolated as it refuses to join in the demand for a ceasefire.
Opposition from US and Israel
The United States and Israel opposed a ceasefire because they believed it would only benefit Hamas. The US instead supported the idea of pauses in between the wars to protect civilians and also allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas militants on October 7.
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Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said that a ‘ceasefire’ would only ensure the survival of Hamas and would lead to the continuation of the annihilation of Israel and Jews. He went on to say that if the other members of the UN agreed upon a ceasefire in this war, then they would be supporting the survival of Hamas and the continued suffering of Gaza.
Urges to stop the War
General Assembly President Dennis Francis, who opened the emergency session on Tuesday afternoon, began by saying, “We have one singular priority—only one—to save lives.” He warned that civilians in Gaza have nowhere safe to take shelter from the fighting and aerial bombardment. He also went on to say that war also has rules and pointed out that it is important to make sure that we do not deviate from them.
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Riyad Mansour, who is the Palestinian ambassador at the United Nations, said that any demand from the United Nations, whether it’s from the Security Council or the General Assembly, should be seen as binding. He went on to say that Israel and its allies should also abide by this and act accordingly. He added that this resolution is a proof of the concern the world feels for “the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza.
The resolution that was passed at the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. However, it made no mention of Hamas and its militants or the surprise attack it made on Israel on October 7 that led to this war. The United States tried to propose an amendment and add a paragraph to this resolution about unequivocally condemning the terrorist attacks by Hamas. Austria also tried to propose an amendment that Hamas should immediately release all the hostages. However, both of these amendments were voted down.
Situation in Gaza right now
It seems that the world stands united on the decision that the war that has brought unprecedented death and destruction to Gaza must end now. The Hamas-run ministry of Gaza has reported that more than 18,000 Palestinians have been in this war, and about 70% of them are reportedly children and women. It has also been stated that over 80% of the population have lost their homes.
