2023-12-12 23:10:14
The United Nations General Assembly has voted by a large majority in favor of an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza conflict. 153 member countries voted in favor of the resolution, 23 abstained. Ten states voted against it, including Austria, the USA and Israel. General Assembly resolutions are not binding but reflect the global view.
The text of the resolution corresponds to that which was blocked by the USA in the 15-member UN Security Council last week. However, no country has a right of veto in the General Assembly. The resolution also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for warring parties to comply with international law – particularly with regard to the protection of civilians.
An attempt by the USA to change the text so that the attacks by Hamas and their hostage-taking were condemned did not find the two-thirds majority of the countries required to accept it, nor did Austria’s attempt to state in the resolution that the hostages were taken by the Hamas will be held.
The Foreign Ministry sent a statement on Austria’s voting behavior: It is shameful that the UN General Assembly once again did not have the courage to call Hamas by name. Austria’s amendment was intended to take into account the fact that over 100 innocent children, women and men are still being held captive in Gaza and being used as human shields by Hamas.
The reports from the released hostages about their experiences are shocking and show the inhumane barbarism with which Hamas operates. The lack of political will in the UN to name this cruel reality is a slap in the face to all victims and their families, according to the Foreign Office.
Austria advocates for humanitarian breaks so that all remaining hostages can be released and further urgently needed humanitarian aid reaches the Palestinian civilian population. An immediate humanitarian ceasefire would only give Hamas more room to intensify its terror. Once again, Israel was not granted the right to self-defense in the face of terror as guaranteed by international law. Austria therefore voted against the resolution.
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said before the vote that her country supported some aspects of the resolution – including the need to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, protect civilians and free hostages. A ceasefire, however, “would be dangerous for Israelis, who would face relentless attacks, and also dangerous for Palestinians, who deserve the chance to build a better future, free from Hamas.”
Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said a ceasefire meant only one thing: “Ensuring the survival of Hamas and the survival of the genocidal terrorists who are committed to the destruction of Israel and the Jews.”
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said that if you deny people freedom and dignity, humiliate them and put them in an open-air prison “where you kill them as if they were beasts – then they become very angry and do to others what was done to them became”.
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