New York, 27 October 2023 (TDI): On the second day of the General Assembly’s emergency meeting, progress was made toward a vote on the Gaza crisis.
Sérgio França Danese, Brazil’s Ambassador to the UN, strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas, which included hostage-taking.
He also expressed a clear condemnation of attacks that indiscriminately harm civilians and destroy homes in the Gaza Strip, causing severe hardships.
Brazil, which is in charge of the Security Council’s October presidency, welcomed the emergency meeting after the Security Council failed to adopt any of the four draft resolutions on the crisis, including one that Brazil proposed and received 12 votes in favor of.
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The resolution that received strong support from Council members was considered balanced, firmly grounded in international humanitarian and human rights law, and committed to the humanitarian imperative.
Abdulaziz Alwasil, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the UN, emphasized that the violence and destruction in Gaza not only resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe but also had serious consequences for regional and global security.
He condemned the targeting of civilians by any party and called for a ceasefire, an end to the bloodshed, the immediate lifting of the siege, the release of hostages, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to those affected.
He also condemned attempts at forcible displacement and policies of collective punishment in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
Ambassador Alwasil underscored the importance of working for peace and complying with international conventions and laws.
He attributed the current crisis to the international community’s failure to end the Israeli occupation and implement a two-state solution, warning of the potential for the conflict to spill over and threaten global peace and security.
Olof Skoog, the European Union’s UN Representative, expressed deep regret over the use of a veto in the Security Council, as the crisis demanded a strong and timely unified message from the Council.
He stressed the urgency of providing safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need, through means like a “corridor” or a “humanitarian pause,” while ensuring these measures are not exploited by terrorists.
The EU expressed its readiness to contribute to the resumption of the political process based on a two-state solution and supported the holding of an international peace conference as soon as possible.
Skoog acknowledged the need for consensus in the General Assembly in the absence of a Security Council resolution and mentioned the EU’s constructive efforts to overcome divisions.
This collaborative approach demonstrated a shared commitment among various nations to address the crisis and work toward a more peaceful and stable future for the region.
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