Ten days after an American veto, the Security Council will try to agree this Monday on a new text calling for an “urgent and lasting cessation of hostilities” in Gaza. On December 9, despite unprecedented pressure from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the United States blocked in the Council the adoption of a resolution calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”. Last week, the General Assembly adopted this same resolution by 153 votes for, 10 against and 23 abstentions, out of 193 member states. With this overwhelming support, the Arab countries announced a new attempt at the Security Council, the outcome still uncertain.
The new draft text, prepared by the United Arab Emirates, demands in particular that the parties to the conflict facilitate the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip, “by land, sea and air “. The draft also affirms its support for the two-state solution and “highlights the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority.”
Like the previous one and the one adopted by the General Assembly, this text does not name Hamas, an absence systematically castigated by the United States and Israel. On the other hand, he condemns “all indiscriminate attacks against civilians”, “all acts of terrorism”, and calls for the release of the hostages.