The United Nations has voted to adopt a resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after 153 countries of the 193-member General Assembly backed the ceasefire, which had been vetoed by Israel, Austria, Czechia, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and the United States.
“The United Nations General Assembly has voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza, in a rebuke to the United States which has repeatedly blocked ceasefire calls in the UN’s Security Council.
A majority of 153 nations voted for the ceasefire resolution in the General Assembly’s emergency special session Tuesday, while 10 voted against and 23 abstained.
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| The results of the draft resolution vote are seen on a screen at the United Nations headquarters in New York. |
While a General Assembly vote is politically significant and seen as wielding moral weight, it is nonbinding, unlike a Security Council resolution. The U.S. last week vetoed a ceasefire resolution in the smaller Security Council, which had been approved by a majority of the powerful 15-member body.
Tuesday’s brief resolution calls for a ceasefire, for all parties to comply with international law, and for humanitarian access to hostages as well as their ‘immediate and unconditional’ release. It notably contains stronger language than an October vote in the assembly that had called for a ‘sustained humanitarian truce’.
The vote, hailed as ‘historic’ by Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, comes as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its third month, and as medics and aid groups sound alarm bells on the humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza. More than 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza since fighting broke out, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in the enclave said Monday”. -Caitlin Hu, CNN
The passing of the General Assembly resolution attests to the fact that Israel faces the risk of further isolating itself on the world stage if it continues to ignore the international call for a ceasefire.