UN Security Council to Vote on US Draft Resolution for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

2024-03-22 04:08:00
General view of a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, in an archive photograph (EFE/ Justin Lane)

The United States, which has repeatedly blocked calls for a truce in Gaza, will put its draft resolution emphasizing the need for such an “immediate ceasefire” to a vote in the UN Security Council on Friday, the spokesman announced. of the American mission.

“The United States has been working seriously with Council members for several weeks on a resolution that will unequivocally support diplomatic efforts aimed at obtaining a ceasefire in Gaza,” said Nate Evans, spokesman for the US ambassador to the UN.

This truce must be “part of an agreement on the hostages that allows the release of all of them and contributes to increasing humanitarian aid,” he added.

“After a series of consultations with the Security Council, we will put this resolution to a vote on Friday morning,” the spokesperson said.

Evans said that “this resolution is an opportunity for the Council to speak with one voice to support diplomacy on the ground and pressure Hamas to accept the agreement on the table.”

Since vetoing an Algerian draft resolution calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in late February, Washington has been negotiating an alternative text focused on supporting diplomatic efforts to achieve a six-week truce in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

Modified several times, on Wednesday they circulated a new version of the text, in which an “immediate ceasefire” is mentioned for the first time, without directly calling for its application.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)

“We have presented a resolution, which is now in the Security Council, calling for an immediate ceasefire linked to the release of the hostages, and we sincerely hope that countries will support it,” the Secretary of State declared on Wednesday. American state, Antony Blinken, to the Saudi media outlet Al Hadath during a visit to the Saudi kingdom.

Likewise, another draft resolution is being debated, sponsored by several non-permanent members of the Council, which “demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the month of Ramadan,” and which could also be voted on this Friday, according to a diplomatic source.

This text would be put to a vote if the US project was rejected.

Separately, Israeli spy chief David Barnea will travel to Qatar on Friday to meet with mediators trying to secure a ceasefire in Gaza that includes the release of hostages, according to a statement issued Thursday by the prime minister’s office. Israeli Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Barnea will meet with his American counterpart, CIA Director Bill Burns, with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and with the head of Egypt’s intelligence services, Abbas Kamel, according to the statement.

“The meeting of senior officials will be held within the framework of the negotiations in Doha and its objective is to advance efforts to return the kidnapped people,” he reported.

For this same purpose, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also arrive in Israel tomorrow from Cairo.

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