UN Security Council Rejects Russia's Draft Resolution On Israel-Hamas War, Moscow Responds

The UN Security Council has rejected a draft resolution of Russia on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war saying it had no mention of Hamas' attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Israel-Hamas War: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday rejected a draft resolution that was proposed by Russia calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution, the first such text that was considered by the powerful UN body, made no mention of Hamas' attack on Israel, reported PTI. The 15-nation Council met on Monday evening to vote on the Russian-led draft resolution. The ongoing war continues to escalate even after 10 days of action since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

The is expected to meet again on Tuesday to vote on a rival draft resolution circulated by Brazil, the Council President for the month of October, the agency stated.

For a resolution to be accepted in the Council, it must receive at least nine votes in favour, with none of its five permanent members opposing or casting a veto.

 

What Did Russia's Resolution Say?

The Russia-led draft resolution called for an "immediate, durable and fully respected humanitarian ceasefire", the release of all hostages, aid access and safe evacuation of civilians on which China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the UAE voted for. Whereas, France, Japan, the UK, and the US voted against it, while Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland abstained from voting.

The text strongly condemned all violence and hostilities against civilians and all acts of terrorism but made no mention of Hamas. It was the Palestinian militant group that launched an unprecedented assault in Israel on October 7 killing over 1,300 people and injured over 4,000.

A counter-offensive from Israel has meanwhile left about 2,778 Palestinians dead and injured over 9,000 in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Israel has asked the residents in the northern region of the Strip to leave and move to the south and has cut water, food and electricity supply making it difficult for the people to survive. 

 

Egoistic Ambitions Of Western Bloc: Russia On Rejection Of Resolution

Responding to the failure of its draft resolution to get adopted, Russia said that it was regrettable that the Council was once again "taken hostage by the egoistic ambitions of the Western bloc."

"Today, the entire world waited with bated breath for the Security Council to take steps in order to put an end to the bloodletting, but the delegations of the Western countries have basically stomped on those expectations," the Russian envoy said.

"We believe that today's vote in the Security Council is very demonstrative, it clearly shows who is in favour of a truce to stop the indiscriminate bombing and provision of humanitarian assistance and who is still in favour of blocking a single common message from the Security Council for purely selfish interests and political interests," he was further quoted as saying by PTI. 

Earlier, before the vote, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia had said that the draft resolution was a “purely humanitarian text".

"We shall not have any understanding if someone decides to not support it for political or egoistic geopolitical reasons," Nebenzia said.

 

Palestine's 'Don't Justiy Killings' Response

Speaking on Russia's draft resolution, Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said that the Council must not send a signal that Palestinian lives do not matter.

"Don't dare say Israel is not responsible for the bombs it is dropping over their heads. Don't justify the killings. Don't blame the victim. What is happening in Gaza is not a military operation. It is a full-scale assault against our people. it is a massacre against innocent civilians," he said, as per PTI.

He said that the humanitarian and health system has collapsed in Gaza and over one million people have been displaced. He went on to list three urgent actions that must be taken, emphasising that anything else would be "legally, morally and politically unacceptable."

He called for:

1. stopping the assault on the Palestinian people immediately

2. allowing immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip, and

3. stopping the forced transfer of Palestinian people.

"Our conflict is a political one, not a religious one. That is what makes it solvable but it has an impact, given its significance regionally and internationally," he added. The Palestinian envoy further warned the council, "If you do not want a regional spillover, an international spillover, stop the massacres. Start there, start now."

 

Israel Asks Council To Designate Hamas As 'Murderous Terror Organisation'

Israel’s Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan has called on the Security Council to designate Hamas as the “murderous terror organisation" just as it did with ISIS and al-Qaeda. Erdan said that the UN body now stands at one of its most pivotal crossroads and the first step that it must take before any calls for aid, calm or restraint is to designate Hamas as a terror body, reported PTI.

He said that the Security Council must also support Israel's right to defend itself but supporting this right does not mean echoing empty words, and added "It means standing in solidarity with Israel in our rescue mission to obliterate Hamas’ terror capabilities. If Hamas is not obliterated, such atrocities will be repeated."

 

US, UK On Russia's Draft Resolution

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that Russia’s resolution was put forward without any consultations and makes no mention of Hamas.

"...by failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalises innocent civilians. It is outrageous, it is hypocritical, and it is indefensible," she said. Thomas-Greenfield said that Washington could not back Moscow's resolution which dishonours victims by ignoring Hamas’ terrorism.

She said, as per PTI, that Hamas’ audacious attack on Israel is the "worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust."

On the other hand, UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Barbara Woodward, said her country cannot support a text that fails to condemn Hamas’ terror attacks. Calling the assault the larges in Israel's history, she said it was “unconscionable” for the Council to ignore the same.

"We remain clear too that all possible measures on the ground must be taken to ensure civilian casualties are minimised and to facilitate humanitarian aid," Woodward said, adding that the draft, and its process to be tabled in the UNSC, was not a serious attempt to find a Council consensus.