Baghdad-INA
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the United Nations General Assembly will hold a special meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, according to the spokeswoman for the Assembly’s president, after the Security Council failed on Friday to vote on a “humanitarian ceasefire” in the Palestinian Strip due to Washington’s obstruction of a draft resolution in this direction.
The spokeswoman said in a message that the meeting, which will be held on Tuesday afternoon, came at the request of representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group.
According to diplomatic sources, the General Assembly, whose decisions are considered non-binding, can consider a draft text.
The draft text largely addresses the draft resolution that was rejected by the Security Council on Friday due to the US veto.
The text expresses concern about “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip” and “demands an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.”
It also calls for the protection of civilians, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the “immediate and unconditional” release of all hostages.
On Friday, the United States used its veto power against a draft Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, despite pressure from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who condemned “collective punishment” to which the Palestinians are subjected.
13 of the 15 member states of the Council voted in favor of the draft resolution, in exchange for opposition from the United States and the United Kingdom’s abstention from voting on the text proposed by the United Arab Emirates.
The session was held after the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, resorted on Wednesday to Article 99 of the International Organization’s Charter, which allows him to “draw the attention” of the Council to a file that “could endanger international peace and security,” in the first activation of this article in decades.
2023-12-12 16:37:46