Why did Russia abstain from Malta’s resolution on Gaza?
According to “Tass” news agency, last night, Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council approved the resolution proposed by Malta on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, focusing on the protection of children in the Gaza Strip. 12 countries voted in favor of this resolution. Since the amendment proposed by Russia as an addendum to the resolution was rejected by the Security Council, Russia, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom, abstained from voting on the document.
The amendment proposed by Russia called for an immediate ceasefire and peace between Israel and Palestine.
The text of the resolution emphasizes “the need to respect international laws, including international humanitarian law.” Also, with special attention to the protection of children, it mentions the necessity of providing security for the civilian population living in the Gaza Strip. In addition, this document calls for the creation of corridors and humanitarian stops in the Gaza Strip “for a few days sufficient for the purpose of full, rapid, safe and unhindered access in accordance with international humanitarian law” for various international organizations as well as for UN representatives to refers to the area.
The resolution also emphasizes the “rapid evacuation of sick or injured children and their caregivers” and includes a clause on “search and rescue operations, including missing children, in damaged buildings.”
However, the text of the resolution does not contain any condemnation of the actions of either side of the conflict, whether the October 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which the United States insists on, or Israel’s extensive attacks on the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the UN Security Council did not accept Russia’s amendment to Malta’s draft resolution, which called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Nebenzia blamed the US for failing to produce a balanced document on Gaza
Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, announced after last night’s Security Council meeting devoted to the Middle East situation that the United States would continue to reject any attempt to agree on a balanced document with real measures to reduce tensions in the Palestinian conflict. and neutralized Israel.
He said: “Since the beginning of the current escalation of tensions in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, the American delegation has destroyed any attempt to draft a balanced and non-political document with the aim of taking real and immediate measures to reduce tension in the region.”
The permanent representative of Russia emphasized that the American colleagues in the Security Council, hiding behind the slogans of the fight against terrorism and the right of Israel to defend themselves, basically justified the mass destruction of Palestinians, including the civilian population and a large number of innocent children, and this The clash crippled the UN’s primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
In addition, Nebenzia noted that Russia is very concerned that the provisions of the resolution proposed by Malta on the Middle East approved by the Security Council will not be implemented by the conflicting parties and the situation in the region will remain dire. This Russian diplomat said: We have the most serious concern that the provisions of the resolution will not be implemented by the parties to the conflict.