The General Assembly adopts a resolution on “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” during 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”. (Credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe)
By Gary Raynaldo -DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The UN General Assembly Tuesday passed by overwhelming majority a resolution demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza. The General Assembly called for an Emergency Session on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Security Council last week failed to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza due to a US veto. In addition to a ceasefire, the General Assembly resolution also calls for immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and well as “ensuring humanitarian access”. The resolution was adopted with 153 votes in favour, 23 abstentions and 10 votes against. Israel’s Permanent Representative, Gilad Erdan, sharply criticized the text before it passed, saying the GA was going to vote “on another hypocritical resolution.” Erdan said the resolution failed to “condemn Hamas for crimes against humanity. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield introduced an unsuccessful amendment that would have included language stating the US “unequivocally rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas.” The US amendment failed to get the two-thirds majority support needed to pass.
There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, but a resolution would be legally non-binding as it has no enforcement powers like the powerful 13-member Council. Last Friday’s Security Council resolution, despite being blocked by a permanent member, got support from 13 Council members, including three permanent members (China, France and the Russian Federation), with another permanent member (United Kingdom) abstaining. The US vote doomed the resolution. Egypt and Mauritania on Monday invoked Resolution 377A (V) to call for Tuesday’s GA emergency meeting.
The General Assembly has the power to trigger an emergency session when the Security Council is unable to assume its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security such as in the current Israel-Palestine crisis. The General Assembly can immediately take up the matter in an emergency special session and recommend to its members collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security as stipulated in the Assembly’s “Uniting for peace” resolution of 3 November 1950.
