The U.N. Security Council vote on a competing Brazilian draught was postponed while a Russian draught calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza failed to pass.
Russian Gaza ceasefire resolution fails: Five people voted in favour of the resolution, four against it, and six others abstained. “To approve a resolution, the council must have at least nine votes in favor, and it cannot face vetoes from the five permanent members (the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom).”
“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,” Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said to the council after the vote.
“UN Council Deliberations on Gaza Crisis and Russia’s Stance”
On Friday, Russia put up a one-page draught language that included demands for hostage release, access to humanitarian aid, and the safe evacuation of vulnerable civilians. Despite not naming Hamas, the speech denounced all acts of terrorism and brutality against people.
“By neglecting to denounce Hamas, Russia is protecting a terrorist organisation that brutally assaults defenceless civilians. It is revolting. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States ambassador to the UN, called it “hypocritical and indefensible.”
She stated that while the United States typically abstains from council action in favour of its friend Israel, “we do agree that this council should take action, but we have to get it right and we’ll work intensely with all members on the council to do so,”
“To allow the council more time to compromise, they postponed the vote on the opposing Brazilian-drafted resolution, which denounces ‘the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas,’ until late Tuesday.”
In the midst of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s exhausting meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, the council convened.
Israel is putting Gaza under complete isolation and preparing a ground attack while launching the most severe aerial bombardment ever. According to the Gazan authorities, at least 2,750 Palestinians have died.