Finally. The UN Security Council voted on the draft resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the United States abstained voting for the resolution, but did not use veto. The vote came after intensive consultations between the foreign affairs ministers of the Western countries and the Arab league delegation on a binding resolution of the draft text submitted by the Arab delegation but had reservations, which prompted United States, Britain and France to submit a balanced draft resolution to the Arabic objected one. Among the paragraphs of the draft resolution:
* An immediate lasting cease-fire, to stop rockets and to prevent weapon smuggling into Gaza Strip.
* A full withdraw of Israeli forces.
* Condemn all forms of violence, terrorism and military actions against civilians.
* Re-opening of the crossings on a permanent basis as stipulated in the agreement signed in 2005 between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
The vote came on the draft resolution after long hours of discussions and consultations and clashes between members of the Arab states and the West, even with altercations happening between the Arab members of the delegation itself. It was noticed that the Council’s meeting was delayed for more than two hours while the members of delegations waited until U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has taken her place, then deliberations began.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia Saud Al-Faisal, Ahmed Abu Elgheit of Egypt and Rayed Mansour of Palestine took part in the meeting. The three ministers were welcomed by the President of the UN Security Council, French Foreign Minister Kushner, and then he appeared to read the UN resolution.
Some diplomatic sources wondered about Israel’s commitment to the resolution, especially after mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers as a preparing for the implementation of the second phase of the invasion of Gaza Strip which starts on Friday!
Even last minutes intervention by a French proposal calling for postponement of the vote in order to ensure the consent of Israel to implement the resolution. Reports said that a compromise formula was approved by the Foreign Ministers of the Western countries and the Arab league delegation on the draft resolution forwarded by the United States, Britain and France.
The representative of Palestine to the United Nations, Rayed Mansour, said that the amendments proposed by the Arab countries were accepted.
The invitation to the meeting was forwarded while the Arab League delegation held intensive consultations at the United Nations building to issue a binding decision.
Diplomatic sources said that United States, Britain and France dropped objections to the Arab states insisting a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire. The diplomats said that the amended version of the text “stresses the need and calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza Strip.”
The resolution does not include a call for Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza Strip. But Western countries maintained the need for inclusion in the resolution a call for movements to stop weapons smuggling to Hamas.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, held intensive consultations with Arab countries and Israel on cease-fire proposals of a draft text submitted by Libya, and opposed by Washington and London and the French-Egyptian initiative.
Rice reiterated that the cease-fire must be lasting, and not to allow the return of the situation to what it was before the start of the Israeli military operations against the Gaza Strip.
The Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and the British Foreign secretary David Miliiband announced the agreement on the final wording of the draft resolution after a closed-door meeting that lasted for about two hours between the Foreign Ministers of Western countries and the Arab League delegation.
Faisal said to reporters that the UN Security Council vote on the resolution is “a historic event.”
From his side, the British Foreign Secretary said that the international community must bear its share of the blame for failing to stop the fighting over the past two weeks.
Miliband said that it was difficult to reach a consensus on the resolution.
The United States and the Arab states supported the compromised formula reached after intensive movements made by the Arab States, which insists on a binding text calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The representative of Palestine to the United Nations, Rayed Mansour, said that the amendments proposed by the Arab countries were accepted.
The resolution of the Security Council underlines the seriousness of the situation in Sector Gaza “[A]nd calls for an immediate and lasting cease-fire to be scrupulously adhered to which leads to a complete withdraw of Israeli forces from Gaza strip.”
It also condemned all forms of violence and terrorism and military actions against civilians, and calls upon the member states to intensify efforts to ensure the arrangements and guarantees in Gaza Strip to maintain a cease-fire and lasting peace, including the prevention of weapons smuggling and ammunition and to secure the re-opening of crossings under the 2005 signed agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
It also welcomed the Egyptian initiative and the efforts of regional and other international initiatives on the crisis. The resolution encourages the concrete measures toward a Palestinian reconciliation.
The resolution calls for the provision of humanitarian assistance to all parts of the Gaza Strip without obstacles and praised the “initiatives aimed to establish and opening humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms to deliver permanent humanitarian assistance.”
It also urged member states to support international efforts to improve the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza.
The U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza rice held intensive consultations with Arab countries and Israel on cease-fire proposals of a draft resolution submitted by Libya and opposed by Washington and London and the French-Egyptian initiative.
Rice reiterated that the cease-fire must be lasting, and not to allow the return to what was before the start of Israeli military operations against Gaza Strip.
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