The world spoke at the United Nations (UN). The verdict was clear. Most nations sided with Palestine and opposed Israel and the United States in their efforts to prevent a cease-fire and facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza. There was loud applause when the victory was confirmed. The resolution, presented by Jordan with the support of the Arab countries in the emergency General Assembly, demands an immediate cessation of hostilities for "the protection of civilians and respect for legal and humanitarian obligations". The text includes "a rejection of the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population".
Therefore, it is above all an absolute moral setback and a condemnation of the governments of Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the United States, Joe Biden. Its ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, lashed out at the proposal, which she described as "flawed" and "outrageous" because it does not mention Hamas and its October 7 attack and hinders the solution of the two states living side by side.
"This is the day of infamy and it has shown that the UN opens the door to new atrocities," replied Gilad Erdan, the head of Israel's mission. "This ridiculous resolution does not even mention Hamas," he said. "Why do you defend terrorists, murderers who kill children?", he bellowed, after he said in the previous day that the UN was a corrupt organization. Without forgetting that he had already asked for the resignation of the Secretary General, António Guterres, because he considers that in a speech he was complacent towards Palestine.
Only 12 other countries had joined theirs and the United States. Fourteen votes against the resolution, by 120 in favor and 45 abstentions (India, Germany, Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands). Although Western countries such as France, Belgium and Spain, along with China and Russia, endorsed the draft, what happened at the United Nations staged a victory for the so-called Global South, countries that generally play the other league with respect to the dominant global powers.
Another thing. Europeans were divided. But only three (Austria, Croatia and Hungary) defended Israel. For the most part, between pro-Palestine votes and abstentions it was clear that they are allies of the US, but on the issue of Palestine and Israel there are different sensitivities.
This special session, already convened with a title of condemnation for the Israeli occupations of East Jerusalem and other Palestinian territories, was reached because the United States vetoed last week in the Security Council a resolution presented by Brazil , in which Hamas was condemned and a ceasefire was demanded. If that text had passed, its content would have been binding.
The General Assembly, however, does not have this legal value. It is not legally binding. But this resolution serves as a barometer of world opinion. It has no legal value, but does legitimize a claim.
Although it is a gesture that is of no use because it has no effective power, it is the first official response of the United Nations, founded at the time to promote peace, to the attacks that Hamas made by surprise three weeks ago, fuse of this new edition of a conflict rooted in global geostrategy.
Since then, Israel's reprisals have not stopped. While the countries proceeded to vote, the Israeli army extended its advance towards the goal of invading the Gaza Strip.
Canada tried to introduce an amendment to the text in which Hamas was cited as guilty of this situation. He said that a resolution could not be passed "in which it is not said by name who should be called", he stressed
The forceful reply was given by Pakistan's ambassador, Munir Akram. "If Canada wants to act with justice, it is necessary to name them all, both sides, or name all those who commit crimes or none of them," he stressed.
The amendment did not go ahead. He got 88 votes, far from the two-thirds required for this process.
In the global context, Palestine won in its cause for the 56 years of occupation.
