UN Security Council adopts resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire

[JohnSJ]

Source: Aljazeera.com also bbc

The United Nations Security Council has demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages as the United States abstained from the vote.

The remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution on Monday.

More to come...

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-calling-for-immediate-gaza-ceasefire

BBC report:

UN Security Council resolution calls for Gaza ceasefire

"UN Security Council passes resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, as US shifts position by abstaining from voteThe UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, after the US refrained from vetoing the measure in a change from its previous position.

The text also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

The body had been at an impasse since the war began in October, repeatedly failing to agree on a ceasefire call.

The move by the US signals growing divergence between it and its ally Israel over Israel's offensive in Gaza."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68658415



Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-calling-for-immediate-gaza-ceasefire

[House of Roberts]

1. I'm surprised the chaos agents Russia and China didn't veto this.

I'm also surprised the US didn't veto as well.

[JohnSJ]

2. Probably because the US didn't bring it up. It will be interesting if hamas and Israel actually

honor the ceasefire, and the release of all hostages.

My guess is probably not.

It probably won't motivate the self-destructive anti-Biden left to vote for Biden in the 2024 election either.

[Basic LA]

3. Finally! I wish we'd voted Yes.

But it's coming to that, surely. Next test will be to block weapons shipments.

[JohnSJ]

7. No, abstaining was the correct action, but as I said I will be very surprised if hamas honors any

ceasefire, and in that case neither will Israel, and no one should hold their breath that any hostages will be released.

Netanyahu just canceled the Israeli delegation's trip to Washington after the U.S. abstained from the UN security council vote.

That is why abstaining was more than sufficient, and the correct action. The point has been made.

This is a very precarious situation that is playing out. Not only with what is happening in Gaza, but with the stakes in the upcoming election.

There is a two edged sword that cuts both ways with what is happening, and I fully support how President Biden and his administration are handling this.




 

[Basic LA]

12. I see. There's a lot to this.

Interesting development that the delegation trip was canceled.
Thanks for that info.

[JohnSJ]

13. The official statement by the US given for abstain instead of voting for was because the

resolution failed to condemn Hamas on holding the hostages.

No doubt there were negotiations going on in the security council to get this far.

[EllieBC]

5. Hamas will never honor a ceasefire.

And their fans here and in the US will make up excuses for them.

[JohnSJ]

8. I agree, and I wouldn't anticipate all the hostages released because of this either. That may

occur outside of the UN with the negotiations going on now in Dufar currently.

[angrychair]

4. Abstain?

The UN Security Council should only allow straight up or down votes. That we decided to hide behind the paper thin veil of abstention is embarrassing.

[24601]

20. Except for the Security Council, the UN is toothless. And this resolution only calls for aspirational things - a

ceasefire and the release of hostages. It also doesn't appear to include any enforcement measures, e.g., military intervention by member nations. The Israelis will file it with the other UNSC & UNGA Resolutions addressing Israel. (link included(

Regarding voting, the UNSC makes decisions on two levels. The first is the UNSC Permanent Member Consensus. A resolution fails if vetoed by France, the PRC, Russia, the UK, or the US. If a Permanent Member does not exercise a veto, a resolution requires a majority vote of all UNSC member states.

[link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_resolutions_concerning_Israel|

[Beastly Boy]

6. US ambassador to UN: Resolution means Gaza ceasefire must be part of hostage deal

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield says that the meaning of the resolution passed today in the Security Council is that a ceasefire in Gaza must be part of an agreement to release the hostages.

In adopting the resolution, the Security Council “spoke out in support” of the ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring about an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, secure the immediate release of all hostages, and help alleviate the tremendous suffering of Palestinian civilians in need in Gaza, she says. “The United States fully supports these critical objectives.”

She adds: “In fact, they were the foundation of the resolution we put forward last week – a resolution that Russia and China vetoed.”

She urges council members to be clear that a ceasefire could have come “months ago” had Hamas been ready to release the hostages. “So today my ask to the members of this Council…is ‘speak out and demand unequivocally that Hamas accepts the deal on the table,’” she says.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-ambassador-to-un-resolution-means-gaza-ceasefire-must-be-part-of-hostage-deal/

US abstained from UNSC Gaza vote because it didn’t condemn Hamas – ambassador
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield says she had to suffice with abstaining today’s resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages chiefly because it did not include a condemnation of Hamas.

She reiterates the US position that a ceasefire could be reached immediately if Hamas were to release the hostages and urges Security Council members to condemn the terror group.

Notably, she brands the resolution as “non-binding” in a hint at how the US views the weight of this resolution. Other members are calling it binding, but history has shown that Security Council resolutions are often ignored by member states.

“This resolution rightly acknowledges that, during the month of Ramadan, we must recommit to peace. Hamas can do that by accepting the deal on the table. A ceasefire can begin immediately with the release of the first hostage. And so, we must put pressure on Hamas to do just that,” Thomas-Greenfield says.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-abstained-from-unsc-gaza-vote-because-it-didnt-condemn-hamas-ambassador/

[JohnSJ]

9. Thank-you. Absolutely, and that means release of ALL the hostages. A ceasefire from hamas

and release of all hostages is unlikely to occur because of this.

[LeftInTX]

10. Even Trump is sliding a bit from Israel

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-israel-has-to-do-better-with-pr-right-now-theyre-in-ruin/


“Israel has to get better with the promotional and with the public relations, because right now they’re in ruin. They’re being hurt very badly,” he says in an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper.

Trump also appears to justify the rise in antisemitism in the US since October 7 amid images of destruction coming out of Gaza from the ongoing war.

“Well, that’s because you fought back. And I think Israel made a very big mistake. I wanted to call [Israel] and say don’t do it. These photos and shots. I mean, moving shots of bombs being dropped into buildings in Gaza. And I said, ‘Oh, that’s a terrible portrait,'” he says when asked how he would deal with antisemitism.

___

Of course, he blames Biden, but ..
And with Trump, he just spews stuff.
He really got into that gorilla thing in 2016. I guess he felt commenting about the gorilla was good PR. Or he gets PR every time he opens his mouth.

[EllieBC]

14. "That's because you fought back?"

Guess he’s parroting a lot of idiots who think Israel should have apologized for Hamas attacking them on Oct 7th and offering them something.

That whole, “don’t fight back” is bullshit.

[LeftInTX]

15. He wants the "Genocide Joe" vote..LOL

DSA, Communist Party USA, Muslims, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Green Party, Democracy Now crowd..."Vote for me!!!"

[LeftInTX]

11. Text of UNSC Resolution

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/text-of-security-council-resolution-demanding-immediate-ceasefire-immediate-release-of-hostages/

Snip:

Acknowledging the ongoing diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, aimed at reaching a cessation of hostilities, releasing the hostages and increasing the provision and distribution of humanitarian aid,

1. Demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire, and also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs, and further demands that the parties comply with their obligations under international law in relation to all persons they detain;

2. Emphasizes the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip and reiterates its demand for the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in line with international humanitarian law as well as resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023);

3. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

[Igel]

16. They're separate demands.

It's not one package--it's one resolution, but a list of independent demands.

Construing one as contingent on the other abuses the text.

[LeftInTX]

17. That's what I was able to find.

[Lancero]

18. The BBC article has something especially interesting. Apparently only Israel is bound by this convention, and not Hamas.

Mark Lyall-Grant, who was the UK ambassador to the UN from 2009 to 2015, told BBC Radio's 4 PM programme that the resolution meant Israel was now "under an obligation, essentially, to stop its military campaign for the next 15 days" - the duration of the remainder of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which the text stipulated for the ceasefire.

He added that the text was legally binding on Israel but not on Hamas, as the Palestinian group is not a state.

Well, after the last couple ceasefires that Hamas violated I guess it's not much of a surprise. Can't say that Hamas violated another ceasefire if it never applied to them, right?

[sarisataka]

19. "Everything we do is justified"

Must be nice to have an exception to every rule.