2024-04-19 01:27:41
How has the Biden administration implemented its push to deny Palestine full membership in the United Nations?
The administration of US President Joe Biden sought feverishly on Thursday to obstruct a draft resolution submitted by Algeria with Arab support to the Security Council aimed at recognizing Palestine’s full membership in the UN, pressuring where it might on the rest of the 15 countries to vote once morest or abstain from voting, lest it be interrupted using the veto. While the Secretary General of the International Organization, António Guterres, warned once morest any mistakes that might have devastating consequences for the Middle East and the world.
In light of the potential disruption to the Arab effort which has gained much momentum recently, particularly in light of the continuing war in Gaza, which began 6 1/2 months ago following the Hamas attacks once morest Israeli settlements and kibbutzim surrounding the Gaza Strip. On October 7, Palestinian and Arab diplomacy are on a parallel line to obtain greater recognition of the State of Palestine, which has so far reached 138 of the 193 member states of the General Assembly of the international organization . It is possible that the Arab group will go to the General Assembly to confirm this approach.
American and Israeli objections have intensified to the idea of the Security Council issuing a recommendation regarding the renewed Palestinian demand, contained in an April 2 letter sent by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the Secretary-General of the International Organization, Antonio Guterres, to renew the examination. of the request submitted on September 23, 2011 to former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for full membership in the United Nations.
The request was forwarded to the President of the Security Council for the current month, the Permanent Representative of Malta, Vanessa Fraser, who in turn referred it to the Committee for the Admission of New Members to the Council. This committee has failed to reach the consensus necessary to move this process forward.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan shakes hands with alternate U.S. Representative Robert Wood during Thursday’s Security Council session (Reuters)
Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that the United States has been pushing since Wednesday to postpone the date of the vote on the Algerian draft resolution which was put in blue ink, meaning it is now ready to be voted on. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken participated in these American efforts during his meetings this weekend with his Maltese counterpart, Ian Borg, whose country holds the presidency of the Security Council for the current month, as well as as well as other contacts led by the American national vice president. Security advisor John Viner, notably to the Guyanese president, Irfan Ali, whose country sits on the Security Council.
وشملت الضغوط أيض كلاً من اليابان وكوريا الجنوبية وسويسرا ، التي لم تفصح ما إذا كانت ستؤيد مشروع ال • إن مجلس الأمن ، بعد درس طلب دولة فلسطين للقبول في (الأمم المتحدة) ، ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي ي الجمعية العامosure The United Nations)”.
Morning session
Guterres was speaking at the start of a ministerial session held by the Security Council on Thursday regarding “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.” He focused on “escalating dangers,” saying “the greatest danger” levels of restraint must be exercised. Reiterating its condemnation of the “dangerous escalation” represented by Iran’s widespread attack on Israel, and before that the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. He estimated that “the end of hostilities in Gaza would significantly reduce tensions throughout the region” and renewed his demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza. He stressed that “to avoid the spread of famine in Gaza and prevent avoidable deaths from disease, a qualitative leap in humanitarian aid is needed.”
Palestinians gather to receive aid from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza last March (Reuters)
Describing the situation in Gaza as “hell”, he reiterated that the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) constitutes “the backbone of operations humanitarian aid” in the Gaza Strip. He also stressed that West Bank settlements are “illegal,” condemning acts of violence once morest civilians, calling on Israel to “take immediate action to end unprecedented levels of settler violence and hold perpetrators accountable.”
UNRWA Status
While the report of the independent committee on UNRWA would be expected in the coming hours, the Security Council held a new session on Wednesday evening to focus on the work of the agency, during which its commissioner general, Philippe Lazzarini, speaking, spoke of “an imminent man-made famine”, explaining that in northern Gaza, “infants and young children began to die of malnutrition and dehydration”.
He discussed the campaign the agency faces to remove it from the occupied Palestinian territory, explaining that “in Gaza, the Israeli government seeks to end the agency’s activities.” He stressed that “our employees are prohibited from participating in coordination meetings between Israel and humanitarian agencies.” Worse still, UNRWA facilities and employees have been targeted since the start of the war, leading to the deaths of 178 UNRWA employees in Gaza since October 7. He said UN employees detained by Israel “have reported horrific accounts of mistreatment and torture in detention.”
UNRWA food aid to Gaza (Reuters)
Lazzarini called on Security Council members to “work first in accordance with General Assembly Resolution No. 302, which establishes UNRWA,” and then called for “commitment to genuine political process, leading to a solution that allows peace for Palestinians. Israelis. » Third, he emphasized “the recognition that the political process alone “will not guarantee lasting peace” because “the deep wounds of the region can only be healed by establishing compassion and rejecting dehumanization” .
The funeral of a young Palestinian killed in a settler attack on the West Bank village of Al-Mughayir on April 13 (Reuters)
The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, declared that “UNRWA” is the subject of “a blatant attack and shameful targeting by Israeli settlers”, considering that this targeting is “an integral part of the Israeli plan to liquidate the Palestinian question. empty the Palestinian national project of its content and demolish its pillars and foundations.
The alternate representative of the US permanent mission to the United Nations, Robert Wood, said the US Congress had stopped providing additional contributions to the agency following “serious allegations” regarding the alleged involvement of a number of its employees to Hamas attacks. once morest Israel and urged “UNRWA and the United Nations system” to take all necessary measures to strengthen the neutrality of the organization and improve the sustainability of UNRWA. He stressed, however, that the United States recognizes the agency’s “indispensable role” in Gaza.
He stressed that Washington looks forward to the final recommendations of the independent review panel on UNRWA and will continue to work with the agency and others “to implement reforms to keep UNRWA operational.” as long as necessary.”
The Palestinian position
The Special Representative of the Palestinian President, Ziyad Abu Omar, said that UNRWA “is not just a humanitarian project, but rather a historic testimony of the commitment and duty of the international community towards the Palestinian refugees who have been displaced from their homes because of the Nakba of 1948.”
A young displaced Palestinian woman eats from a box at a camp for displaced people in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip (AFP)
He said Israeli campaigns once morest “UNRWA are not new,” calling for pressure on Israel to “immediately stop obstructing UNRWA’s operations and violating its mandate.”
As for Israeli delegate Gilad Erdan, he considered that the UN is “directly responsible for the perpetuation” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that “one of the weapons it has created to prolong this conflict is (UNRWA )”.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi told Council members that “UNRWA deserves your support, as it is the only one capable of providing real assistance to the starving Palestinians in Gaza and providing vital services to the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. its five areas of operations” in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Diplomats confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that for the first time, the Palestinian request would receive the nine votes required to send the request to the General Assembly. However, the American veto risks disrupting this attempt.
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