UN Security Council Passes Resolution on War in Gaza; US, Russia Abstain
The UN Security Council has managed, just before the Christmas weekend in the US, to pass a resolution on the conflict that had been in the works all week.
Unlike in two previous votes, the US did not veto.
The text demands the facilitation of "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale."
It also called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities" without demanding an immediate end to the fighting.
The United States and Russia abstained from the vote on Friday.
The resolution requests the appointment of a UN humanitarian coordinator to oversee the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.
It says that the delivery mechanism will be managed in consultation with "all relevant parties," including Israel.
An earlier draft had called for the aid mechanism to be put under exclusive UN control.
'A strong step forward', says US ambassador to the UN
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has called a UN Security Council resolution on Gaza aid deliveries "a strong step forward."
"This council provided a glimmer of hope among a sea of suffering," she said.
Thomas-Greenfield said the resolution "is fully supported by the Arab group that provides them what they feel is needed to get humanitarian assistance on the ground."
The US abstained from the vote after having vetoed previous resolutions.
Washington is one of Israel's most important allies and has blocked attempts to include a call for an immediate cease-fire in UN Security Council resolutions.
UAE says Gaza aid resolution 'not perfect,' continues calling for cease-fire
The United Arab Emirates has said it will continue calling for the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, after a compromise resolution on aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip passed the UN Security Council without a US veto.
"We know this is not a perfect text," said Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE's ambassador to the UN. "We will never tire of calling for a humanitarian cease-fire."
The UAE sponsored the resolution. Nusseibeh said it "responds with action to the dire humanitarian situation."
Meanwhile, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, called the resolution a "step in the right direction."
Mansour represents the Palestinian National Authority, which is based in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and is led by President Mahmoud Abbas.
'Toothless' resolution: Russian UN ambassador
Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has criticised a UN Security Council resolution on Gaza aid deliveries that was marked by compromises to avoid a US veto.
Both the United States and Russia, which are permanent members of the Security Council, abstained from the vote but did not veto. Washington has vetoed previous resolutions calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
Nebenzia called the resolution "entirely toothless." Russia had supported the previous two motions with stronger language.
He accused Washington of "shameful, cynical and irresponsible conduct" and of using "gross pressure, blackmail and twisting arms" to change the content of the resolution.
Moscow's ambassador said the new resolution "would essentially be giving the Israeli armed forces complete freedom of movement for the clearing of the Gaza Strip."
'Insufficient,' says Hamas
The militant Islamist group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, has called the UN Security Council resolution demanding increased aid deliveries into the territory "insufficient."
"During the past five days, the U.S. administration has worked hard to empty this resolution of its essence, and to issue it in this weak formula... It defies the will of the international community and the United Nations General Assembly in stopping Israel's aggression against our defenseless Palestinian people," Hamas’ statement read.
Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Germany and several other states.
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