1 of 1 Sergio Franca Danese from Brazil speaks to the delegation before the UN Security Council meeting Photo: Andrew Kelly/Portal Sergio Franca Danese from Brazil speaks to the delegation before the UN Security Council meeting Photo: Andrew Kelly/ Portal
The diplomatic representatives of the countries that make up the UN Security Council are currently discussing a proposal from the Brazilian delegation for a text for an official unity resolution.
On Monday (16), a proposal written by Russian diplomats was rejected by the Security Council.
The resolution prepared by the Brazilian delegation has a better chance of being adopted, but has not yet been put to a vote. This should happen this Tuesday (17).
On October 7, Hamas invaded Israeli territory and killed around 1,400 people. On the same day, Israel declared war on Hamas and began bombing the Gaza Strip, an area controlled by Hamas.
The Israeli army’s retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip killed at least 2,750 people, most of them civilians, including hundreds of children, according to local authorities.
Rejection of the Russian proposal
First, the Security Council would vote on the two text proposals from Brazil and Russia on Monday.
The meeting was about to begin when the UAE ambassador asked for more time to negotiate the terms of the resolutions behind closed doors.
When the diplomats returned, the Russian text was put to a vote and rejected. The permanent members USA, Great Britain and France voted against the Russian text. The end result was this:
- Five yes votes;
- Four against and
- Six abstentions.
The Russian text did not mention Hamas
Russia’s proposal does not mention Hamas and calls for a humanitarian ceasefire for the US, Israel has the right to defend itself, and that includes the ability to attack Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The US representative explained that the text “provides protection to the terrorist group that brutalizes innocent civilians by not condemning Hamas in the text of the resolution.”
The representative of Russia said that they had at least managed to raise some issues for discussion.
The differences between the two proposed resolutions
Brazil’s proposal includes the following points:
- A condemnation of Hamas for its attacks on Israel.
- Without mentioning Israel, the Brazilian text also calls for the lifting of Israel’s order for civilians and UN staff in the northern Gaza Strip to move to the southern Gaza Strip.
- The Brazilian proposal provides for humanitarian pauses to allow access to aid.
The Russian proposal does not mention Hamas and calls for a humanitarian ceasefire for the US, Israel has the right to defend itself, and that includes the ability to attack Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Both condemn violence and hostilities against civilians as well as all acts of terrorism and call for the release of hostages.
For a resolution to be adopted, it must have the votes of at least 9 of the 15 members of the Security Council. In addition, the permanent members of the Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States).
This is the first Security Council meeting temporarily chaired by Brazil to openly discuss the war between Hamas and Israel.
Brazil’s document lists 11 points. Between them:
- The “unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’s heinous terrorist attacks carried out in Israel from October 7, 2023 and the taking of civilians hostage”;
- The call, without naming names, for the “immediate and unconditional release of all civilian hostages and calls for their safety, wellbeing and humane treatment in accordance with international law”;
- The call “to respect and protect all medical and humanitarian personnel carrying out exclusively medical tasks, their transport and equipment, and hospitals and other medical facilities in accordance with international humanitarian law”;
- The decision to “continue to deal with the topic.”
The text does not mention any concrete measures such as a peace mission or any kind of intervention. It simply states that they are calling for “humanitarian pauses to enable rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to UN organizations…”
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