A “group of nations” known for their leniency towards terrorism made a failed attempt to pass a resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The resolution aimed to directly target Israel while conveniently ignoring the October 7 pogrom by Hamas, a terrorist organization, on innocent civilians in the Jewish State.
The Russian-led draft resolution was rejected by the Security Council, receiving only five votes in favor from China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. Four nations – France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – voted against the resolution, while six others abstained. The draft text had called for a humanitarian ceasefire, release of all hostages, aid access, and safe evacuation of civilians. However, it glaringly omitted any mention of Hamas, the extremist group responsible for the recent escalation of brutality in Israel.
A draft resolution proposed by Russia at the Security Council on the situation in Gaza was not adopted as it failed to obtain the required number of affirmative votes pic.twitter.com/9kHoO2V11M
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 17, 2023
The Western countries, led by the United States, stood firm in their opposition to the resolution. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative of the US to the UN, stated that the resolution was an affront to the victims of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. She emphasized that the vast majority of families in Gaza suffer due to Hamas’s actions. “By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalizes innocent civilians. It is outrageous, hypocritical, and indefensible,” she said.
The Russian Federation’s lament over the Security Council’s failure to adopt the resolution reveals a concerning alignment with the objectives of Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization. Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, expressed regret over the Security Council’s failure to adopt the resolution, blaming the “selfish intentions of the Western bloc“. His comments indicate a troubling disregard for the violent actions of Hamas and suggest that Russia is more interested in undermining Western efforts than in addressing the root causes of the conflict, Palestinian terrorism. Nebenzya’s claim that Western countries “basically stomped” on global hopes for peace is a disingenuous attempt to shift blame, while ignoring the role of Hamas in instigating violence against innocent civilians in Israel.
The failed resolution was nothing short of a blatant attempt to vilify Israel, while turning a blind eye to the heinous acts of terrorism committed by Palestinian Hamas. This terrorist organization has not only orchestrated the killing of innocent civilians but has also taken hostages, including American citizens, as part of its terror pogrom. It has single-handedly precipitated a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, holding its own people hostage to its radical and Islamist agenda. Israel, in stark contrast, has been the victim of unrelenting and unprovoked attacks by Hamas and has taken justified measures to defend its citizens and preserve its sovereignty. Any narrative that suggests otherwise is not only misleading but also complicit in whitewashing the crimes of a terrorist organization Hamas.
Some nations like the United Arab Emirates and Gabon supported the resolution, citing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, others like France and the United Kingdom found it unacceptable for the Security Council to ignore the worst terrorist attack suffered by Israel.
The United Arab Emirates‘ vote in favor of the failed resolution raises eyebrows and calls into question its commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. Despite having normalized relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, the UAE’s support for a resolution that failed to condemn Hamas’ terrorism suggests a complex, if not contradictory, stance.
Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said, “The call for the evacuation of more than one million people who have nowhere safe to go and no assistance, for what it is: An unjustified demand unmeetable in its nature”.
Lana Nusseibeh further said in her address at the United Nations Security Council meeting mentioning the Abraham Accord, “Three years ago my country started diplomatic relations with Israel. The Abraham Accord is grounded in a simple but enduring truth that peace and dialogue are better than violence and enmity.”
It’s possible that the UAE is attempting to balance its newfound relationship with Israel against its traditional alliances and the sentiments of its own population, which may be more sympathetic towards Palestinian Hamas. However, by supporting a resolution that effectively ignored Hamas’s acts of terrorism, the UAE risks undermining its own credibility as a mediator and peace broker in the region.
