<\/p>\n
12:22 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n The latest Council meeting on the Middle East crisis spiralling outwards from the war in Gaza has ended, with another US veto and an abstention on the part of the UK, while Algeria’s resolution gained support from 13 out of the 15 members around the iconic horseshoe table.<\/p>\n Here are the key points:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 12:02 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n Qatar\u2019s Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani\u00a0<\/strong>speaking on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, called on the UN to assume its responsibilities and condemn the Israeli threat of unleashing its military operation in Rafah.<\/p>\n More than a million displaced are sheltering there with nowhere else to run to.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are living the worst humanitarian disaster the world has ever seen,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also condemn the forced displacement of civilians and regret the suspension of the financing of\u00a0UNRWA<\/a>,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For its part, Qatar will continue its facilitating efforts to free all hostages, to protect civilians in Gaza and to secure a ceasefire.<\/p>\n \u201cWe regret the failure of\u00a0Security Council<\/a>\u00a0to adopt the resolution submitted by Algeria,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n 11:49 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan<\/strong>\u00a0said the Council has repeatedly met on the same flawed theme: the demand for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n This \u201csilver bullet\u201d would only achieve the survival of Hamas, he said, and be a \u201cdeath sentence\u201d for Israelis\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0Gazans. Hamas will continue to spill the blood of innocents. The\u00a0ICJ<\/a>\u00a0rightly rejected South Africa\u2019s attempt to implement a ceasefire.<\/p>\n \u201cA ceasefire is the epitome of a kick the can down the road\u201d approach which will provide nothing but immunity for baby killers and rapists, allowing Hamas to regroup and re-arm, he said.<\/p>\n Recalling footage of a family taken to Gaza alive as hostages, he asked why the Council would want to leave them in the enclave. The draft resolution, if adopted, would have ensured that this family and more than 100 other people remained as hostages.<\/p>\n Ambassador Erdan said not once since 7 October has the Council condemned Hamas.<\/p>\n \u201cCondemn Hamas as a Council; do it for the sake of the hostages,\u201d Ambassador Erdan said.<\/p>\n At the same time, \u201cthe clock is ticking\u201d with regards to Lebanon, he said, recalling that a Hezbollah drone was downed deep inside Israel. Nearly 100,000 Israeli residents in the north have been displaced, with the help of Iran. The Houthis are relentlessly attacking ships in the Red Sea, and “terrorist aggression” across the region must stop, he argued.<\/p>\n 11:34 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Riyad H. Mansour, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine<\/strong>, said the Algerian-led draft resolution was brought to the Council \u201cprecisely\u201d because Israel persists with its onslaught \u201cdespite near unanimous\u201d calls by the international community for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n He recalled the ICJ provisional measures ordering Israel to cease all acts of genocide, incitement of genocide and ensure humanitarian access to the Palestinian people, who are facing death, starvation and repeated forced displacement \u201cevery day\u201d across Gaza.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been nearly three weeks since I last address the Council following the Court\u2019s order, appealing for action to be taken to ensure the implementation of the provisional measures and ensure a ceasefire that would protect the Palestinian people and avert further ravaging of their lives by the Israeli onslaught,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut our appeals have, regrettably, been to no avail,\u201d he added, noting that since that day, the toll has risen from 26,000 Palestinians killed to almost 30,000 – with more than 69,000 injured.<\/p>\n \u201cThis means that in just the past 20 days alone, Israel has killed nearly 4,000 more Palestinian children, women and men, in just 20 days. This is a deplorable consequence of inaction,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n Mr. Mansour said that Palestine together with an \u201cunprecedented\u201d number of countries approached the ICJ to \u201cconfront the Israeli impunity that has made life a living hell for Palestinian people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAppealing for an immediate and complete end to this illegal colonial occupation and apartheid regime, the root cause of all the ills our people are suffering, including this genocidal war,\u201d he added, noting that the ICJ acted swiftly both on the case brought forward by South Africa and the request for an advisory opinion by the General Assembly.<\/p>\n He questioned when the Security Council would \u201cfinally undertake its solemn duties\u201d and act to demand the ceasefire that the vast majority of the world wants to see.<\/p>\n \u201cThe veto of this draft resolution is not only regrettable \u2026 but also absolutely reckless and dangerous, again shielding Israel even after it commits the most shocking crimes, while exposing millions of innocent Palestinian people to more untold horrors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 11:20 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Algerian Ambassador Benjama<\/strong>\u00a0said the draft calls for a ceasefire, but the Council has failed once again to rise to the calls and aspirations of the people of the world.<\/p>\n This failure does not absolve the Council of its mandate and the international community of its obligations, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is high time for the aggression to end\u201d and for humanitarian assistance to reach all those in need across Gaza.<\/p>\n The current situation requires everyone to provide protection to the Palestinian people and put an end to the historic injustice they have suffered, the ambassador said.<\/p>\n The people of his region have always looked to the Security Council – however, it has failed them once again.<\/p>\n \u201cOur message for you today is that the international community should respond to the calls for ending the killing of Palestinians by calling for an immediate ceasefire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAll those impeding such calls should review their policies and calculations because wrong decisions today will have a cost on our region and our world tomorrow. This cost will be violence and instability.\u201d<\/p>\n Algeria will return tomorrow on behalf of the Arab world, of Muslim countries and the free people of the world, “powered by the souls of thousands of innocent people” killed by the Israeli occupation with no accountability whatsoever, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAlgeria will return to knock on the doors of the Security Council once again to put an end to the bloodshed,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will not stop until this Council shoulders its responsibility in full and imposes an immediate ceasefire. We will never tire, and we will never stop.\u201d<\/p>\n 11:15 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Russian Ambassador Nebenzia<\/strong>\u00a0said \u201ctoday, we have witnessed another black page in the history of the Security Council”.<\/p>\n It was again written by the US delegation, he continued, which pursues the same goal \u2013 to cover up on behalf of its closest Middle Eastern ally and play for time so that it can complete its “inhumane plans” for Gaza, namely to squeeze the Palestinians out of the Strip and completely \u201ccleanse\u201d the enclave.<\/p>\n Full responsibility for the consequences falls on Washington, no matter how hard the US tries to evade it by talking about its \u201cimportant mediation efforts\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n No matter how bitter the \u201caftertaste\u201d of today\u2019s vote may be, \u201cwe are not in the mood to give up\u201d, he said, adding that the Council\u2019s demand to the parties for an immediate ceasefire remains an imperative.<\/p>\n 11:07 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Sierra Leone\u2019s Ambassador Michal Imran Kanu<\/strong>\u00a0said his delegation voted in favour of the draft because it is imperative to have an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and the Council is mandated to act promptly and effectively.<\/p>\n Some Council members had visited both the Rafah crossing and Israel, and the assessment has been that only such a ceasefire will put an end to the unbearable killings going on inside Gaza and certainly the “looming and unthinkable catastrophe” in Rafah.<\/p>\n 11:02 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward<\/strong>, called for an \u201cimmediate suspension in fighting\u201d which can lead to a permanent sustainable ceasefire, saying Palestinian civilians are facing a \u201cdevastating humanitarian crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n She said there needed to be a new government for Gaza and the West Bank, the removal of Hamas\u00b4s capacity to launch attacks against Israel.<\/p>\n Hamas should no longer be in charge in Gaza and a credible political horizon should be opened to pave the way to a lasting two-State solution.<\/p>\n \u201cSimply calling for a ceasefire, as this resolution does, will not make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n She said as it could endanger hostage negotiations it could actually make a permanent ceasefire less likely. The way to stop the fighting is through the release of all hostages.<\/p>\n She said the UK would continue to work for a humanitarian response \u201cat scale\u201d.<\/p>\n 10:56 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Japanese Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki<\/strong>\u00a0said \u201ca humanitarian ceasefire needs to be realized promptly in such a way as to ensure a conducive environment for sufficient humanitarian assistance activities as well as to lead to the release of the remaining hostages.”<\/p>\n Only then could there be a sustainable ceasefire.<\/p>\n \u201cBased on this position, we call on all the parties concerned to act immediately from a humanitarian viewpoint,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In efforts to ensure a more fair and balanced text, the resolution should have included a condemnation of Hamas\u2019s terrorist attacks, which the Security Council has so far failed to speak out.<\/p>\n \u201cThough we couldn\u2019t agree on a resolution which all the Council members can support, we are all engaging seriously to stop the violence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 10:50 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ambassador of Mozambique Pedro Comiss\u00e1rio<\/strong>, said parties must comply with international humanitarian law, including in protecting civilians.<\/p>\n \u201cWe call for a full compliance with the provisional measures of the\u00a0International Court of Justice<\/a>\u00a0(ICJ) and firmly oppose the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, especially women and children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and urge the international community and the Security Council to continue working tirelessly together towards achieving peace instability in the region based on a two-State solution,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n 10:45 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Nicholas de Rivi\u00e8re, the Ambassador of France,<\/strong>\u00a0regretted to note that the draft resolution could not be adopted, given the catastrophic situation on the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is an extreme urgency to conclude, without further delay, an agreement on a ceasefire which finally guarantees the protection of all civilians and the massive entry of emergency aid\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe human toll and humanitarian situation in Gaza are intolerable and Israeli operations must end,\u201d he stressed<\/p>\n It is also incomprehensible and unacceptable that this Council has still not condemned the terrorist acts committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October, he said, as well as the sexual violence used as weapons of war by these terrorists.<\/p>\n \u201cWe strongly deplore this and call for the Council to quickly emerge from this culpable ambiguity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 10:40 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun<\/strong>\u00a0said the use of the veto by the US sends the wrong message, pushing Gaza further into crisis at a time when Palestinians are struggling on the brink of death.<\/p>\n It is totally untenable of the US to argue that the draft jeopardizes ongoing talks. Meanwhile, the violence is destabilizing the entire region, and the Council must act quickly to stop the carnage, he said.<\/p>\n The Council must uphold international order and demand a ceasefire, which is its legal responsibility. The Council must not stop its work because of the veto, he said, calling on the international community to give Palestinians a chance to live and to provide justice.<\/p>\n 10:35 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking after the vote, US Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said her delegation is willing to engage constructively with Council members on her delegation\u2019s draft resolution.<\/p>\n 10:33 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n The resolution has failed to be adopted due to a veto by the United States.<\/p>\n The voting was 13 in favour, 1 abstention (the UK) with the US voting against.<\/p>\n 10:27 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia<\/strong>\u00a0said Washington continues to provide Israel with \u201ca license to kill\u201d. Algeria organized discussions in good faith to produce its draft resolution, but the US in effect issued an ultimatum, asserting that the draft was dangerous as it would obstruct ongoing talks.<\/p>\n Indeed, Washington continues to insist the Council not interfere in the US plans, he said. The US has vetoed similar draft resolutions in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cWe call on the Council membership to counter the lawlessness of Washington,\u201d he said. \u201cPublic opinion will no longer forgive the Security Council for inaction.\u201d<\/p>\n 10:20 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield<\/strong>\u00a0said her delegation is working on a hostage deal. Although gaps remain, the key elements are on the table, so if an arrangement were reached it would involve a sustainable peace.<\/p>\n “Sometimes hard diplomacy takes more time than any of us might like,\u201d she said. \u201cAny action this Council takes should help and not hinder these sensitive ongoing negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n This draft will not bring about a durable peace, but instead extend the hostages\u2019 captivity and the humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile numerous parties engage in sensitive negotiations, this is not the time for this resolution, which jeopardizes these efforts,\u201d she said, adding that numerous edits her delegation suggested were ignored.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why the US is proposing a separate resolution that would work towards a temporary ceasefire based on the formula that all hostages are releases. It is time this Council condemns Hamas, she said.<\/p>\n Should the US draft be adopted, it would be the first time the Council condemned Hamas, as well as calls against any forced displacement of Gazans and that a major ground offensive in the enclave would not proceed.<\/p>\n The draft would also reiterate the US vision of a two-State solution, and would both support the ongoing negotiations and lay the groundwork for peace in the region, Mr. Thomas-Greenfield said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re at a pivotal and critical moment,\u201d she said, citing ongoing suffering and rising humanitarian needs. \u201cLet us commit to do this the right way at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n 10:15 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n This draft stands for truth,\u00a0Mr. Benjama<\/strong>\u00a0said.<\/p>\n \u201cA positive vote for the draft brings hope for hundreds of thousands of children to return to school and enjoy the right to education. Conversely, voting against the draft resolution is a vote in favour of annihilating their dream for a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n The international community must act swiftly, as the value of a ceasefire diminishes with each moment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are rapidly approaching a critical juncture where the call to halt the machinery of violence will lose its significance,\u201d he said. \u201cToday, every Palestinian is a target for death, extermination and genocide. Each one of us decides on where to stand in this tragic chapter of history.\u201d<\/p>\n 10:07 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n The Permanent Representative from Guyana is presiding. Her country holds the presidency for the month.<\/p>\n Amar Benjama, the Algerian Ambassador<\/strong>, is introducing his country’s resolution, saying it was a product of extensive discussions.<\/p>\n He said the Council “cannot afford passivity” in the face of what is unfolding in Gaza. He says the Council must follow its mandate, and demand an immediate ceasefire.<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout this process we have heard calls to give time to a parallel track, with concerns raised that any action from the Council would jeopardize these efforts, however, almost one month after the ICJ orders, signs of hope are still absent for improvement on the situation in Gaza. Silence is not a viable option. Now is the time for action and the time for truth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n 09:30 AM:\u00a0<\/strong>Tabled by Algeria, the draft resolution would also have the Council reiterate its demand that all parties scrupulously comply with their obligations under international law regarding the protection of civilians.<\/p>\n The Council\u00a0needs at least nine votes<\/strong>\u00a0to be able to adopt the draft resolution.<\/p>\n Media reports indicate that the United States may veto it, as it has\u00a0publicly said it would<\/a> referring to earlier drafts during this weeks-long negotiating process.<\/p>\n The term \u201cceasefire\u201d has been contentious, with the US having\u00a0vetoed a previous draft<\/a>\u00a0resolution late last year tabled by the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n If this happens again today, the General Assembly would again organize an emergency special session through a mechanism set up recently to examine the use of veto following an initiative by Lichtenstein, which is a privilege of the Council\u2019s five permanent members \u2013 China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States.<\/p>\n Algeria\u2019s draft on the table today would have the Council reject the \u201cforced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population in violation of international law and would demand an immediate end to any such violations and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages<\/strong>. It would, among other things, call for unfettered humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza.<\/p>\n The Council has held more than a dozen meetings on the war in Gaza, including an\u00a0open debate<\/a>\u00a0in late January, with more than 70 UN Member States voicing serious concerns about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.<\/p>\n Many called on the Security Council to \u201cwork harder\u201d to end the war, which began in October when Israeli invaded the enclave in response to Hamas\u2019s attacks that left 1,200 dead and 240 taken hostage. To date, almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities.<\/p>\n The\u00a0US has reportedly circulated a rival resolution<\/strong>\u00a0that would for the first time, support a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. It calls for a halt to the fighting “as soon as practicable” and requires the release of all hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel, according to news reports.<\/p>\nHIGHLIGHTS<\/h3>\n
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Qatar: Gaza is \u2018worst humanitarian disaster the world has seen\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Qatar.jpg\/image1170x530cropped.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Ceasefire would be a \u2018death sentence\u2019: Israel<\/strong><\/h3>\n
‘Condemn Hamas as a Council’<\/h3>\n
\u2018Deplorable consequence of inaction\u2019: Palestine<\/h3>\n
![\"Riyad](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Riyad-Mansour.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Riyad")
\u2018Life a living hell\u2019<\/h3>\n
‘We will never tire, and we will never stop’ – Algeria<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Algeria-01.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Knocking on the door<\/h3>\n
\u2018Not in the mood to give up\u2019: Russia<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Russia.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Sierra Leone: Council is mandated to act<\/strong><\/h3>\n
UK calls for \u2018immediate suspension\u2019 of fighting<\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-UK.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Council must speak out on Hamas attacks: Japan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Japan.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Mozambique urges Council to achieve peace<\/strong><\/h3>\n
France: Council must act without further delay<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-France.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
China: Veto sends wrong message<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-China.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Resolution vetoed by US<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-USA-vote-02.jpg\/image1170x530cropped.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Russia: US is giving Israel \u2018a license to kill\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n
US offers alternative draft resolution<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-USA.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Time for action and truth: Algeria<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/20-02-2024-UN-Photo-Algeria.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" "\\"Ambassador")
Threat of veto looms<\/h3>\n