12/19/2023 2:20
The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on an Arabbacked resolution calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza, after postponing the vote on Monday afternoon to avoid a second US veto.
The council said it would be at 5pm on Monday. The vote was postponed until Tuesday morning and diplomats said negotiations were underway to get the United States, Israel's closest ally, to abstain or vote “yes” for the resolution.
The draft resolution on the table Monday morning called for an “urgent and permanent cessation of hostilities” in Gaza, the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and the granting of full access to provide humanitarian assistance to the large number of civilians in need in the Gaza Strip, food, water and medication.
But that language is expected to be watered down to a “suspension” of hostilities or similar language to win U.S. support, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions were private.
Like the resolution vetoed by the United States on October 9, the new draft text does not explicitly name Hamas but vaguely condemns “all indiscriminate attacks against civilians.”
The importance of a Security Council resolution is that it is legally binding. In practice, however, many parties choose to ignore the Council's calls to action. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, although they are an important barometer of world opinion.
The U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by nearly all council members and dozens of other nations calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on Dec. 9.
The 193member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on December 12, with a vote of 153 to 10 and 23 abstentions.
follow her That is At the Google News and receive notifications about the most important news