The United Nations General Assembly has voted with a significant majority in favor of an urgent humanitarian ceasefire during an emergency meeting.
Recording of the Extraordinary Meeting of the General Assembly in response to an emergency situation.
Member States adopted a resolution, demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and well as “ensuring humanitarian access”.
The vote was in favor with a significant majority of 153, with only 10 opposing and 23 abstaining.
The resolution restated the General Assembly’s request for all parties to fulfill their responsibilities according to international law, specifically in regards to safeguarding civilians.
Before the decision was made, two proposed changes that specifically mentioned the extremist organization Hamas were rejected by the members through voting.
6:16 PM
The temporary leader of the General Assembly ended the gathering. The discussion will resume at 3 PM (New York time) on Friday, December 15th, with the Assembly continuing its conversation.
4:30 PM
After the vote, delegations are now providing explanations for their votes.
4:26 PM
Resolution adopted
The main resolution was voted on with the following results:
For: 153
Against: 10
Abstaining: 23
The necessary two-thirds of members have voted in favor, resulting in the resolution being passed by a significant majority. The General Assembly Hall is filled with enthusiastic applause.
Text of the adopted resolution
Safeguarding the well-being of non-combatants and adhering to legal and moral duties
The General Assembly,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Referring to its previous resolutions on the question of Palestine,
Referring to its past decisions concerning the issue of Palestine,
Remembering all applicable resolutions passed by the Security Council,
Taking note of the letter dated 6 December 2023 from the Secretary-General, under Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations, addressed to the President of the Security Council,
Noting the correspondence from the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to the President of the General Assembly on December 7, 2023.
I am deeply troubled by the dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the hardships faced by innocent Palestinian civilians. It is crucial that both the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations are safeguarded in compliance with international humanitarian principles.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire to address humanitarian needs.
2. Reaffirms the need for all parties to uphold their responsibilities according to international law, specifically in regards to international humanitarian law, particularly when it comes to safeguarding civilians.
Calls for the prompt and unconditional release of all hostages and for humanitarian access to be guaranteed.
The decision has been made to temporarily suspend the tenth emergency special session and allow the President of the General Assembly, from its most recent session, to reconvene the meeting upon request from Member States.
4:24 PM
The proposed changes did not receive enough votes to be approved.
The US’s second proposed amendment received 84 votes in favor, 62 votes against, and 25 abstentions. Once again, the amendment did not pass.
4:22 PM
The initial proposed change has received 89 votes in favor, 61 votes against, and 20 abstentions. This indicates that the Austrian amendment does not meet the two-thirds majority requirement.
4:20 PM
The resolution must be adopted by a majority of two-thirds. General Assembly President Francis clarifies that this rule also applies to amendments as the voting process is about to commence.
A wide view of the 45th plenary meeting of the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on “Illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.
4:08 PM
The Israeli ambassador, Gilad Erdan, stated that the General Assembly is preparing to vote on a resolution that he considers to be hypocritical.
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan speaks at the 10th resumed meeting of the Emergency Special Session on the status of the Palestinian Territories.
He stated that the resolution neglects to condemn Hamas for their crimes against humanity and does not even mention them. This will only result in further loss of life and devastation in the area, which goes against the purpose of a ceasefire.
The speaker stated that Hamas’ sole purpose is to eliminate Israel, and that the group has made it clear that they will continue committing violent acts until Israel no longer exists.
“Why would anyone choose to support Hamas in perpetuating their reign of terror and fulfilling their evil agenda?” he inquired.
The speaker stated that the so-called humanitarian ceasefire mentioned in the resolution does not truly have anything to do with humanity. They also noted that Israel is already making efforts to make it easier for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
He emphasized the importance of holding Hamas responsible. He stated that a ceasefire only translates to one thing – “the endurance of Hamas.”
He expressed his confusion as to how someone could support a resolution that doesn’t condemn or even mention Hamas. He urged all Member States to vote against the resolution.
3:55 PM
Pakistan’s ambassador, Munir Akram, expressed his country’s stance before the votes, stating his belief that the “majority” of the UN members would support the resolution.
During the 10th Emergency Special Session, Ambassador Munir Akram from Pakistan addressed the current state of affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
He expressed great remorse over the fact that certain supporters of Israel have proposed changes that would once again condemn only one side and absolve the other.
He expressed confidence that the majority of Members will not solely blame Hamas, but instead hold Israel accountable for their involvement in the bombardment of Gaza, which he referred to as an “open air prison.”
He stated that after the break, Gaza was bombarded with deadly projectiles from Israel’s military.
He declared that this is a conflict aimed at the Palestinian population, with the intention of not only eradicating a group of people but also eliminating the concept of Palestine as a whole. He went on to say that Israel’s tactics mirror those used by other colonial regimes throughout history in their brutal mistreatment and annihilation of marginalized races.
3:43 PM
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador, presented the US amendment, stating that it was another resolution that did not denounce Hamas.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks at the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
She stated that our objective should be to prevent death, devastation, and destruction in the long run, and Hamas does not desire that future.
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield stated that the United States is striving towards a lasting peace and supports certain elements of the resolution. She affirmed the dire state of the humanitarian crisis and emphasized the need for immediate and ongoing efforts to address it. She also stressed the importance of safeguarding civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law.
The ambassador implored all countries to back the Austrian revision and to unite in denouncing Hamas’ terrorist acts on October 7th. She questioned, “Why is this so difficult?” Regarding the alleged instances of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas during and after the attacks, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield stated that the US advocates for a prompt investigation into the claims.
She announced that American diplomacy played a crucial role in facilitating the recent humanitarian pause and securing the release of hostages through their partnerships with Egypt and Qatar.
3: 34 PM
The ambassador of Austria, Alexander Marshik, stated that his country has carefully reviewed the proposed resolution and supports the explicit call for the release of all hostages and access to humanitarian aid.
Ambassador Alexander Marschik from Austria speaks at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting discussing the current conditions in the Palestinian Territory under occupation.
He urged delegates to approve their brief amendment that recognizes the involvement of Hamas in provoking the recent increase in aggression.
He stated that this resolution is lacking in several aspects, such as acknowledging Israel’s right to protect its citizens and identifying the terrorist organization responsible for the hostage situation.
He suggested that if the UN Security Council could identify Hamas as an extremist group in a passed resolution, the UN General Assembly should also have the bravery to do so. Therefore, we urge everyone to back the amendment.
3:22 PM
The ambassador of Egypt, Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud, stated that the resolution was straightforward, precise, and long overdue.
Egyptian Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek speaks at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting discussing the current state of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“He stated that there are only four functional paragraphs included, but the execution of these paragraphs is still pending, despite the Palestinian people enduring an unbearable humanitarian situation.”
He observed the devastation of the healthcare and aid system in Gaza, and referenced the letter from the UNRWA Commissioner-General that emphasized the desperate state of the region.
The Ambassador stated that the only way to protect innocent civilians is through adopting and implementing the resolution that calls for a ceasefire.
The Arab group emphasized that a small number of countries going against global public opinion believed that Israel had the right to protect itself. However, they also noted that as the occupying force, Israel is not entitled to this right according to international law, which they see as a hypocritical display of double standards in regards to the Palestinian people.
He stated that action should be taken to address the war crimes committed against Palestinians.
He stated that the use of genocide as a tactic in the situation involving Palestine could severely harm the reputation of the entire United Nations if not addressed.
3:10 PM
“The sole focus”: President of the Assembly
President Dennis Francis of the General Assembly speaks at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting, which has been reconvened to discuss the circumstances in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The 10th Emergency Special Session was opened again by Assembly President Dennis Francis, who emphasized the need for a new meeting due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Mr. Francis began his statement by expressing concern over the current “attack on innocent civilians, the collapse of humanitarian systems, and blatant disregard for international law and humanitarian principles” displayed by those involved in the conflict.
He stated that even in times of war, there are rules that must be followed and we should not stray from our fundamental beliefs and morals.
He stated that nearly 70% of the deceased were women and children.
He stated that the current situation of a humanitarian system is experiencing an unparalleled downfall in real time. He demanded that the UN take prompt action to alleviate the distress of civilians.
He stated that it is urgent to implement a humanitarian ceasefire without delay.
President Francis of the Assembly emphasized the importance of ending the suffering of innocent civilians in a timely manner.
He repeated the call for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire.
“Our sole focus is to save lives,” he emphasized.
He urged for an end to the violence.
3:07 PM
by Chairperson
The Chairperson has initiated the meeting.
Dennis Francis, the President of the General Assembly, is currently seated above the well-known podium and has just officially started the meeting by using a gavel.
3:05 PM
The United Nations General Assembly Hall is currently being occupied by representatives who are eagerly awaiting the emergency meeting being held in New York to address the Gaza crisis.
1:40 PM
Currently, there are 21 sponsors supporting the resolution and two proposed amendments on the table.
As of now, 79 individuals are planned to speak at the Assembly and it is foreseen that the session will extend past this evening.
The General Assembly gathering follows the most recent Security Council session on Friday, which did not pass a comparable resolution calling for an urgent ceasefire and the unconditional release of hostages, as well as humanitarian aid access.
The resolution was not approved because one of the permanent members, the United States, voted against it. Thirteen council members voted in favor while the United Kingdom chose not to vote.
The Secretary-General’s use of Article 99 of the UN Charter prompted the Security Council to hold an emergency meeting in order to address the violence in the war-torn enclave. This article is one of the Secretary-General’s most influential tools for seeking assistance in ending the destruction.
Take a look at our guide explaining the significance of a UN General Assembly emergency special session.
The proposed resolution will be voted on by the 193-member group, along with amendments suggested by Austria and the US.
Based on the most recent updates, Egypt plans to present the proposed draft, which has received support from Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the State of Palestine.
The draft resolution
The proposed resolution presented to the Assembly this afternoon contains significant variations compared to the one rejected by the US in the Council on Friday.
The document acknowledges a letter dated December 7th from the UNRWA Commissioner General to the President of the General Assembly. In the letter, Philippe Lazzarini expressed concern about the agency’s ability to carry out its duties in Gaza, stating that it is “significantly restricted” and that the main source of humanitarian aid for over 2.2 million people in the area is in danger of failing.
The draft document also mentions past resolutions concerning the issue of Palestine and the applicable resolutions by the Security Council.
The resolution grants the President of the General Assembly the power to reconvene the emergency special session, following its temporary suspension following the most recent discussions.
Some main shared aspects are a prompt ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, the requirement for all groups to follow international laws, particularly concerning civilian safety, and the call for the immediate and unconditional freedom of all hostages, while also securing humanitarian access.
Refugees residing in a temporary settlement near the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, located in the southern region of Gaza, take a break.
The amendments
Austria has suggested adding a change that includes the phrase, “held by Hamas and other groups,” in regards to the hostages who are currently being held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. Additionally, they propose including the word “immediate” to emphasize the importance of ensuring humanitarian access.
The US amendment addresses its ongoing disagreement with Hamas, a designated terrorist group. It calls for the addition of language that strongly rejects and condemns the “heinous terrorist attacks” carried out by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023 and the taking of hostages, as the first action item.
Not legally binding, but having significant influence.
While not enforceable by law, resolutions passed by the General Assembly hold significant ethical significance as they reflect the joint determination of all UN members on a serious issue.
These decisions also result in important legal frameworks and guidelines, including the more than 60 human rights agreements that support the global rights system, which stem from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The General Assembly issued the Declaration in 1948, but it does not have legal force on its own.
Emergency session
The General Assembly has passed a resolution regarding the safeguarding of civilians and the fulfillment of legal and humanitarian duties in Gaza.
Today’s session is a follow-up to the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, which last convened on October 26 in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. During this session, a resolution was passed calling for an “immediate, lasting, and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire leading to an end of hostilities.”
Take a look at our coverage here.
The Assembly concluded the meeting by temporarily adjourning the session and granting the President of the General Assembly the authority to reconvene upon request from Member States.
The urgent special meeting is called in accordance with the Assembly’s significant 1950 resolution, known as “Uniting for Peace,” which allows the group to hold an “emergency special session” within 24 hours if the Security Council does not fulfill its main duty of preserving international peace and security.
In April 1997, the initial session was held at the request of Qatar, following a number of meetings by the Security Council and General Assembly concerning Israel’s plan to construct a significant housing development in East Jerusalem.
Source: news.un.org
