The United States has stepped up calls for the UN to reach a consensus on its plans on Gaza, which will go to a vote today, while Russia has circulated a counter proposal that would remove references to a transitional authority to be led by President Donald Trump and call on the UN to provide options for international stabilization forces. The United States and eight countries that played a role in achieving a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than two years of war in Gaza are urging that the latest US draft resolution be immediately adopted by the 15-member UN Security Council. Only one of the eight countries is part of the Council, namely Pakistan.
The joint statement with Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey was released after the United States faced several objections this week and made changes to its proposal to the UN to include clearer language on Palestinian self-determination, according to a UN diplomat briefed on the matter and speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. The latest US draft and Russian proposals are expected to be put to a vote as early as next week, the diplomat said, adding that the American plan could get the nine votes needed for approval, with Russia and China likely to abstain rather than use their veto rights.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas signed in Sharm el-Sheikh with the mediation of American President Donald Trump. This was announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explaining that during the conversation Abdel Aty underlined “the importance of continuing to implement all the points of the peace plan” and reviewed preparations for the next international conference to be held in Cairo for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, in a statement published last night by Hamas on behalf of Palestinian factions, it said that the resolution submitted by the United States to the UN Security Council was “dangerous” and “an attempt to hand over the Gaza Strip to international authorities”. Israeli media reported it. The statement said the factions rejected any clauses relating to disarmament in Gaza or that weakened “the Palestinian people’s right to resist”. Foreign military presence in the Gaza Strip is also rejected, because this – as stated in the declaration – is a violation of Palestinian sovereignty. “Any international force must be subordinate to the UN and operate in coordination with official Palestinian institutions, without the participation of the occupation,” the statement said. Today the UN will vote on a resolution approving American President Donald Trump’s comprehensive ceasefire plan in Gaza.
