2024-01-11 06:57:11
The Security Council demands an “immediate” halt to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea
In a resolution today (Wednesday), the UN Security Council called for an “immediate” halt to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and also called on all countries to respect the arms embargo imposed “on these Iranian-backed rebels.”
The resolution drafted by the United States and Japan and adopted by the Council by a majority of 11 members and four abstentions (Russia, China, Algeria, and Mozambique) “condemns in the strongest terms the attacks of at least 24 that have targeted commercial ships since November 19, 2023,” the date of the Houthi takeover. On the ship “Galaxy Leader” and taking its 25 crew members hostage.
The resolution demands that “the Houthis immediately put an end” to attacks that “impede international trade and undermine the rights and freedoms of navigation as well as peace and security in the region.”
In its decision, the Council stressed respect for international law, noting that it “took note” of the right of member states to defend ships against attacks.
The Houthis target commercial ships they suspect of being linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports, near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, and they say they are launching these attacks in solidarity with the Gaza Strip.
These attacks threaten navigation in the waterway, through which about 12 percent of global trade is transported.
This situation prompted the United States in December to form an international maritime coalition under its leadership, which would conduct patrols in the Red Sea to protect maritime traffic from Houthi attacks.
During the Security Council session, Russia denounced this alliance through its ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia.
The Russian ambassador said: “We cannot help but be concerned about the current situation in the Red Sea (…) but we are concerned that the United States and its allies prefer, as often happens, to choose a unilateral solution by force.”
The resolution adopted by the Security Council refers to the “widespread” violations of the arms embargo imposed on the Houthis, and on the other hand recalls the need for all member states to “respect” their “obligations” in this regard and condemns the provision of weapons to the Houthis, who are close to Iran.
The latest report issued in November by UN Security Council experts charged with monitoring the arms embargo confirmed that the Houthis “are significantly enhancing their land and sea military capabilities, including submarines, as well as their arsenal of missiles and drones, in violation of the imposed embargo.”
Finally, the draft resolution calls for “addressing the roots of the situation, including the conflicts that contribute to regional tensions.”
Russia, which proposed three amendments to the draft resolution, all of which were rejected, specifically wanted to add that among the factors contributing to the tensions was “the conflict in the Gaza Strip.”
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield commented that linking the Houthi attacks to the situation in Gaza “would embolden the Houthis and create a dangerous precedent in the Council by legitimizing these violations of international law.”
The US ambassador also attacked the “financial and material” support that Iran provides to the Houthis, and said: “We cannot ignore the source of the problem… We know that Iran is deeply involved in planning operations against commercial ships in the Red Sea,” calling on Tehran to “choose.”
The spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said earlier yesterday: “We remain deeply concerned about the situation in the Red Sea, not only because of the situation itself and the risks to global trade, the environment and people, but also because of the risks of escalation of the conflict on a broader scale in The Middle East”.
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