UN Security Council rejects Russia draft resolution for Gaza ceasefire 

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has rejected a resolution proposed by Russia for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel continues to carry out its complete siege and bombardment of the Strip.

On Friday, Russia proposed its one-page draft text of the resolution to establish a ceasefire between Israeli occupation forces and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, as well as the release of hostages, the flow and access of humanitarian aid, and the safe evacuation of civilians. The draft resolution also condemned all acts of terrorism and violence against civilians, but refrained from naming any sides.

The draft, however, received four votes against it and six abstentions, with only five votes in its favour, falling far below the at least nine votes in favour necessary for a resolution to pass. A draft must also not be vetoed by any one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, which consist of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia.

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Speaking to the Council after the vote on Monday, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stated: “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”.

He expressed Russia’s regret that the “UN Security Council was taken hostage by the egoistic ambitions of the Western bloc”, stressing the body “is not able to send a clear, strong, collective signal aimed at a de-escalation” of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

Nebenzia emphasised that the vote further revealed the divide between those countries trying to end the violence and provide humanitarian aid and those countries which oppose those aims “for purely selfish and political interests”. The Russian ambassador added that “We are extremely concerned by the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the very high risk of the conflict spreading.”

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, however, denounced Moscow for attempting to pass the resolution instead of condemning Hamas. “By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalises innocent civilians”, she said. “It is outrageous. It is hypocritical and it is indefensible.”

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