The representatives of Israel and Arab countries exchanged strong accusations this Thursday on the platform of the UN General Assembly, which will debate the Israeli-Palestinian war for two days, after the Security Council failed to take action.
“Israel is turning Gaza into an eternal hell on earth. The trauma will haunt entire generations,” said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on behalf of the 22 countries of the Arab group.
“The right to self-defense is not a license to kill with impunity, collective punishment is not self-defense, it is a war crime,” he said.
More than 7,000 people have been in the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ bloody attack in southern Israel on October 7 that killed 1,400 people, most of them civilians, according to the Health Ministry of the Gaza Strip government, which leads the Islamist group died .
“To stop this madness, you have the opportunity to do something, to send an important signal. Choose justice, not revenge,” Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the 193 UN member states.
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“Don’t miss this opportunity. Lives depend on it and every life is sacred. Please save lives, save lives, save lives. Vote for our draft resolution,” he pleaded, his voice breaking with emotion.
After the Security Council expressed its rejection of four resolutions on the war between Israel and Hamas in less than two weeks, Arab countries in particular hope that the General Assembly, in which the balance of power is different and no country has a right of veto, can take a position even if its decisions are not binding.
Jordan has circulated a draft resolution that is still under discussion and will be voted on on Friday.
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The text, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, focuses primarily on the humanitarian situation and calls for an “immediate ceasefire” and “unhindered” humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.
It also calls on “all parties” to “protect the civilian population,” but makes no mention of Hamas attacks.
“The authors of the resolution say they are concerned about peace, but the depraved murderers who started this war are not even mentioned,” attacked Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan.
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“This resolution is an insult to their intelligence and belongs in the dustbin of history,” he said.
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