After US amendment censuring Hamas is rejected on procedural grounds, 120 countries vote in favor of resolution calling for ‘protection’ for Palestinian civilians
Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour (white hair) passes by US Ambassador Nikki Haley (seated) during voting, to condemn Israeli actions in Gaza, in the General Assembly June 13, 2018 in New York. (AFP PHOTO / Don EMMERT)
With a huge majority, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning Israel for using “excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate” force during the recent clashes at the Gaza border and calling for an “international protection mechanism” for Palestinian civilians.
The dramatic, down to the wire session saw the United States attempt to add a paragraph condemning Hamas, which was ultimately rejected on procedural grounds though most member states supported it. The resolution, proposed by Algeria and Turkey, then passed with 120 “yes” votes, 8 “no” votes and 45 abstentions.
The eight countries that voted against the resolution were the US, Israel, Australia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Togo and the Solomon Islands.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement issued before the actual voting took place, condemned the resolution, entitled “Protection of the Palestinian civilian population.”
“The UN’s incessant focus on Israel not only brings shame to the organization. It also draws attention away from so many other pressing issues that demand the attention of the international community,” he said.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, arguing that the draft was biased against Israel, proposed an amendment that would have added an explicit condemnation of the Hamas terrorist organization and its firing of rockets, promotion of violence at the Gaza border, and digging of tunnels to infiltrate into Israel.
But Algeria called for a “no-action motion,” which would have prevented a vote on the amendment. According to General Assembly rules, the motion was put to a vote of all member states. Surprisingly, 78 countries opposed Algeria’s move while only 59 supported it.
Haley’s amendment cleared with a slim majority, 62 to 58, with 42 abstentions.
However, General Assembly President Miroslav Laj?ák, of Slovakia, ruled that a two-thirds majority was needed for an amendment to be added to a draft resolution.
Haley appealed his decision, which led the session to be adjourned for several minutes.
When the session reconvened, Laj?ák put Haley’s appeal to a vote. Sixty-six countries voted in favor, 72 opposed and 26 countries abstained, which meant that the original draft was put to a vote without the US amendment.
Haley condemned the final vote as a “morally bankrupt judgement.”
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Referring to the so-called March of Return, the resolution reaffirms “the right to peaceful assembly and protest, and freedom of expression and of association.”
It goes on to deplore “the use of any excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and particularly in the Gaza Strip, including the use of live ammunition against civilian protesters, including children, as well as medical personnel and journalists, and expresses its grave concern at the loss of innocent lives.”
Palestinians run, as teargas canisters fired by Israeli troops land near them during a demonstration near the Gaza Strip security fence, east of Gaza City on March 30, 2018. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)
Resolution A/ES-10/L.23 also “deplores any actions that could provoke violence and endanger civilian lives, and calls upon all actors to ensure that protests remain peaceful,” and condemns rocket fire from Gaza against Israeli civilians, though it does not spell out who would be behind such attacks.
It also requests UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres write a report containing proposals “on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation.”
@ david melech:
UN creeps are very susceptible to bribes, and many are ideologically warped. Completely untrustworthy. And they run like rabbits of any violence it expected.
How about a resolution to protect the Israelis against illegal border crossing by the Palestinians. Oh, sorry! I forgot that Israel is actually Palestine and they have every right to cross the border whenever they like. Of course, this ignores the fact that Palestine doesn’t actually exist although Israel is (still) a paying member of the UN.
At any rate, installing a UN force in Gaza is a waste of time and expense, since, based on the UNWRA experience, the force will be Palestinians within a very short time.
There is only one solution, boycott the UN once and for all.
love the last joke of the day. u n sect to right a report on ways and means etc. Guess he thinks he’s Danny in the lions den.
Put a u n force to protect terrorist. They enter via Egypt. They’re never allowed into ISRAEL, ISRAEL cuts off all supplies, no food, no meds, no oil, no gas. No prisoner visits nor medical. No u n staff or others allowed from ISRAEL into Gaza.
The best way to ensure the protection, wellbeing and safety of so called Palestinians and Israelis is to wipe Hamas off the face of the earth.