UN Delays Gaza Ceasefire Vote
The United Nations Security Council has postponed a vote calling for a “sustainable cessation of hostilities” in Gaza, to give more time for diplomats to meet US objections to the wording of the draft resolution.
The vote had been due on Monday in New York but the US said it could not support a reference to a “cessation of hostilities”, but might accept a call for a “suspension of hostilities”. The Arab countries negotiating the text said that they’d been encouraged to see that the US was apparently trying to find wording that it could support, rather than simply vetoing the resolutions.
The most recent United Nations Security Council ceasefire vote on December 9th was vetoed by the United States. But in the days since, with more Palestinian civilian deaths, pressure on the US to press Israel to stop their ground offensive have been growing at a fever pitch.
The draft, which will be voted on tomorrow, does not explicitly name Hamas, but calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and condemns “all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism.” Israel and the US have expressed disapproval of earlier drafts that did not mention Hamas.
In an earlier briefing in Israel, Tal Heinrich, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, said: “A ceasefire that leaves Hamas in power with impunity and with the desire and capability to repeat October 7 again and again and again is simply unacceptable.”
Therefore, it is doubtful that this UN ceasefire resolution will have an effect on what Israel does, even if it does pass. But the passing of the resolution would be a symbolic win for Palestine, as it would represent the US taking a small step back in its unequivocal support of Israel since the beginning of this war.
If the resolution does pass, the wording of it will be important. “Suspension of hostilities” is quite different from “cessation of hostilities,” as the former, which is the only one the US would be open to supporting, allows for a resumption of Israel’s military campaign to rid Gaza of Hamas.
There is no guarantee that the US will vote in favor of, or abstain from, (which allows the resolution to pass if there is no other nation voting against it) this new resolution. Even a week ago, this would not have been a possibility. But with increasing pressure on the administration both at home and abroad, the Biden White House might see this as a possible way to release some of the pressure, while still supporting Israel’s goal of eradicating Hamas. We will see what happens tomorrow.