The U.N. Security Council has delayed a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities in Gaza to try to avoid another veto by the United States. The council said Monday’s 5 p.m. vote was pushed back until Tuesday morning, and diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the United States, Israel’s closest ally, to abstain or vote “yes” on the resolution.
Quick Read
- UN Security Council Vote Postponed: A vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza was delayed by the UN Security Council to avoid a potential U.S. veto.
- Efforts to Gain U.S. Support: Diplomats are negotiating to persuade the United States to either abstain or support the resolution.
- Draft Resolution’s Call for Ceasefire: The initial draft called for an urgent and sustainable halt to hostilities to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery.
- Possible Softening of Language: The resolution’s wording might be modified to “suspension” of hostilities to secure U.S. backing.
- Legally Binding Nature of Security Council Resolutions: While Security Council resolutions are legally binding, they are often ignored in practice.
- Previous U.S. Veto and General Assembly Resolution: The U.S. previously vetoed a Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire, but the General Assembly passed a similar non-binding resolution with overwhelming support.
The Associated Press has the story:
UN Security Council to vote on resolution demanding cease-fire in Gaza, seeking to avoid US Veto
Newslooks- UNITED NATIONS
The U.N. Security Council has delayed a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities in Gaza to try to avoid another veto by the United States.
The council said Monday’s 5 p.m. vote was pushed back until Tuesday morning, and diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the United States, Israel’s closest ally, to abstain or vote “yes” on the resolution.
The draft resolution on the table Monday morning called for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities,” to allow unhindered access to deliver humanitarian aid to the massive number of civilians in need of food, water and medicine.
But this language is expected to be watered down to a “suspension” of hostilities or similar language to get U.S. support, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions have been private.
The importance of a Security Council resolution is that it is legally binding, but in practice many parties choose to ignore the council’s requests for action. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they are a significant barometer of world opinion.
The U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by almost all council members and dozens of other nations demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on Dec. 12 by a vote of 153-10, with 23 abstentions.
