Urgent calls for ceasefire in Gaza

United Nations - Urgent calls for ceasefire in Gaza

The United Arab Emirates has submitted a new draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for a ceasefire. "The United Arab Emirates calls for the urgent adoption of a resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire and has just submitted a draft to the UN Security Council," the Permanent Mission of the Gulf state announced on Thursday via the short messaging service X (formerly Twitter).

The situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic and almost irreversible. "We cannot wait. The Council must act decisively to call for a humanitarian ceasefire," the message continued. Similar attempts have so far failed due to resistance from the USA.

Guterres takes rare step

In a rare move, UN Secretary-General António Guterres had previously urged the UN Security Council to take action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. In a letter to the Security Council on Wednesday, the UN chief invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since taking office in 2017. This allows the Secretary-General to draw the attention of the Security Council to "any matter which, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security" and, according to the UN, has not been applied for decades.

"I reiterate my call for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared. This is urgent. The civilian population must be spared greater suffering," the letter said.

However, this earned Guterres harsh criticism from Israel. "His request to activate Article 99 and the call for a ceasefire in Gaza constitute support for the terrorist organization Hamas," wrote Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on X. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, on the other hand, joined Guterres' call and called on EU members in the UN Security Council to support his initiative. The Security Council must act immediately to prevent a complete collapse of the humanitarian situation, Borrell wrote on X on Thursday.

Read also:

• Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
• Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
• Numerous oil, gas and coal lobbyists at climate conference
• COP28: Emirates announce fund for climate projects

1. The draft resolution, submitted by the United Arab Emirates, seeks a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as shared on their Permanent Mission's Twitter account.
2. The urgency of the situation in the Gaza Strip, which is on the brink of being irreversible, was emphasized in the United Arab Emirates' call for swift action from the UN Security Council.
3. The catastrophic condition in the Gaza Strip has prompted the United Arab Emirates to present a ceasefire proposal to the UN Security Council, aiming to halt the current conflicts.
4. The draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council by the United Arab Emirates might face challenges due to resistance from the United States, as seen in previous attempts.
5. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the UN Security Council to intervene, invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter to avert a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
6. In a different scenario, New York witnessed significant protests marching against the war in the Palestinian territories, seeking international intervention and a ceasefire.
7. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen criticized Guterres for his call to activate Article 99 and support for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, considering it as backing for the Hamas terrorist organization.
8. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, echoed Guterres's call, urging EU members in the UN Security Council to support the initiative for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
9. The situation in the Gaza Strip, in terms of conflict resolution, continues to be a topic of discussion and action at international forums, including the UN Security Council and global diplomatic bodies.

Source: www.stern.de