The UN Security Council Unable To Reach Consensus On The Gaza-Israel Conflict

The United States has been trying to have a statement issued in which Hamas is strongly condemned, but has so far been unsuccessful.

During the conflict between Israel and Gaza, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened in an emergency session behind closed doors but was unable to get the unanimous agreement necessary to issue a unified statement.

Since Saturday, when Hamas, the Palestinian organization that rules the Gaza Strip, began an attack on Israeli cities and held hundreds of people prisoner, at least 1,100 people have been murdered. Israel's response was to declare war and begin bombing the heavily populated Gaza Strip, killing hundreds.

The United States urged all 15 members of the council to issue forceful condemnations of Hamas.

Tor Wennesland, the United Nations' peace envoy to the Middle East, briefed the council during their about 90 minute meeting.

According to diplomats, members headed by Russia wanted to criticize more than only Hamas. However, consensus must be reached in order to make a definitive declaration.

After normalizing ties with Israel as part of a historic agreement for 2020, the United Arab Emirates said that it anticipated further UN Security Council sessions on the subject.

Neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority (PA), both of which are located in the West Bank and are political opponents of Hamas, were present at the meeting since they are presently serving as members of the Security Council.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, recently urged ambassadors to make abolishing Israel's occupation a top priority.

“This is not a time to let Israel double down on its terrible choices. This is a time to tell Israel it needs to change course, that there is a path to peace where neither Palestinians nor Israelis are killed”, he commented.

In an open letter issued to members of the UN Security Council before the meeting, three Palestinian human rights organizations said that the UN's silence had allowed the recent violence to occur, and that this made the members of the Security Council "complicit" in the events. The Palestinian groups called on UN member states to address the "basic causes and safeguard the Palestinian people from Israeli aggression." These organizations included Al-Haq, Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.

Meanwhile, Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan displayed horrific photos of Israeli people held hostage by Hamas in the hours leading up to the conference, saying that the acts are obvious war crimes.

After a short confrontation with PA loyalist troops in 2007, Hamas has dominated the 365 square kilometre Gaza Strip, home to around 2 million Palestinians, ever since. Its attack in Israel comes as the United States is trying to encourage Saudi Arabia to improve relations with Israel in exchange for a defence contract between the two countries.

 

source: aljazeera.com