UNITED NATIONS: The U.N. General Assembly Friday adopted a resolution initiated by Jordan and co-sponsored by Pakistan, calling for “an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
The vote in the 193-member Assembly was 120 in favour to 14 against with 45 abstentions.
The Assembly earlier rejected an amendment by Canada to condemn Hamas by name for its attacks against Israel on October 7.
The vote in favour of the Canadian amendment, backed by many Western countries, was 88 in favour to 55 against, with 23 abstentions.
The opposition to the amendment was led by Pakistani Ambassador Munir Akram, who said the Jordanian resolution did not specifically name Israel.
Ambassador Akram advocated the rights of Palestinian people and said they have suffered under 50 years of occupation.
The resolution called on all parties to comply with international law and ensure continuous and unhindered aid into the Gaza Strip.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Akram said that the text of the resolution proposed by the Arab and the Islamic countries is a humanitarian text. It seeks three simple things:
One, an immediate cessation of hostilities and a ceasefire. Second, the provision of urgent humanitarian relief to the besieged people of Gaza and third it is gesticulation against the further displacement of the 2 million people in Gaza, trapped between Israel’s bonds and its tanks.
The Israeli have continued for 20 days against the helpless Palestinian people, leaving 7000 men, women and small children dead, he said.
“Moreover, 17,000 people have been injured, 1.1 million Palestinians displaced, the enormity of the crimes that are being committed by Israel against the Palestinian people is so great and enormous.
“It is amazing that when my friend from Canada insists on naming the organization, Hamas, he does not feel the need for the equity and balance and fairness for which Canada is so well known.
“He does not feel the need to name Israel for killing 7000 Palestinians and injuring 17,000. Only Hamas. Is this balance? He says what needs to be named have to be named. We believe Israel needs to be named. If you are fair, if you are equitable, if you are just, you will not blame one side and not the other.
“If you were to go back to the issue of who started this, we all know who started this. It is a 50 years of Israeli occupation and the murder and killing of Palestinians with impunity that started this.”
When you push people into the corner, they will respond. This is what the Secretary General said; “It did not happen in a vacuum.” Look at the reaction that came from the Israeli representative, insulting Secretary General and calling for his resignation. They can’t face the truth. They can’t face justice.
“They can’t fair face the fact that that a crime has originated with the Israelis. The Israeli occupation is the original sin in this case. It is not what happened on the seventh of October. That is a proximate cause. But the real cause is the occupation of Palestine,” Ambassador Akram added.
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