During an emergency session on Thursday in New York, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. It comes as the Security Council failed to adopt its draft resolution for a ceasefire after a veto by the United States, a permanent member of the Council.
India became one of the 19 Member States to abstain from the resolution brought forward by over 20 countries. The resolution was backed by 149 Member States, with 12 voting against it. Among those opposing the resolution were the United States and Israel, who were joined by Argentina, Hungary and Paraguay.
The resolution strongly condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war, demands a full lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid, and insists on the protection of civilians under international law. Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant political and moral weight.
Opening the special session, General Assembly President Philémon Yang said that “the horrors in Gaza must end” after 20 months of war. He criticised the Security Council’s ongoing paralysis and inability to fulfil its core responsibility to uphold peace and security.
He called the situation on the ground “unacceptable”, highlighting the deprivation of food, water and medicine for civilians, the continued captivity of hostages, and the need for urgent international action.
Mr. Yang noted that next week’s high-level meeting in New York on implementing a two-State solution, chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, saying it would offer a chance for renewed commitment towards peace in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
On the 614th day of violence in Gaza, Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Representative of the Observer State of Palestine, called on Member States to vote in favour of the resolution, saying that the world must take all measures necessary to “end this genocide.”
Next week, the UN will hold a high-level conference on the implementation of the two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
