The United Nations Security Council met on Monday and voted against a resolution put forward by Russia, which sought to condemn the escalating violence in the Middle East. However, the council failed to support this motion as it did not explicitly single out Hamas for its unexpected attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 individuals.
The council’s discussions occurred as Israel prepared for a potential ground offensive in the Gaza Strip following a series of air and artillery strikes that have already claimed the lives of at least 2,750 people.
Additionally, this development coincided with the White House’s announcement that President Joe Biden would visit Israel, aiming to strike a balance between showing support for a key ally and advocating for restraint in Israeli operations in Gaza.
Only four countries voted in favor of Russia’s proposed resolution, while four others, including the United States, voted against it, and six countries abstained.
Another resolution with stronger language condemning the Islamist group, proposed by Brazil, seemed to enjoy broader support and was expected to be voted on during the following evening.
Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN ambassador, mentioned that despite the resolution’s failure, it did stimulate a substantial discussion within the Security Council on the matter. He stated, “It has contributed to launching a substantive discussion in the Security Council on this topic. Without our encouragement, everything would probably have been limited to empty discussions.”
The United Kingdom, which sided with the U.S. in opposing the Russian proposal, criticized Moscow for not consulting adequately and accused Russia of not making a genuine effort to find common ground.
Barbara Woodward, the UK’s representative, said, “We cannot support a resolution that fails to condemn Hamas’ terror attacks.”
Israel’s Gilad Erdan stressed the importance of the Security Council’s role in the current situation and called on it to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, stating, “For a body dedicated to security, this shouldn’t even be a question.”
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, urged the council to act to prevent an Israeli assault on Gaza that he claimed was taking 12 lives every hour. He stated, “Don’t send the signal that Palestinian lives don’t matter,” and added, “Don’t dare say Israel is not responsible for the bombs it is dropping over their heads.”
The situation in Gaza is dire, with Israel cutting off water and power supplies to the densely populated area and warning residents to leave the north. The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees warned of an “unprecedented human catastrophe” if essential supplies are not restored to Gaza.
This latest development at the United Nations underscores the challenges in addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict, which remains a deeply divisive and complex issue on the international stage.
