The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday evening, the 12th of December, calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, reports Politico.
The resolution of the 193-nation UN General Assembly was supported by 153 countries, with 23 abstaining and 10 voting against.
Among the countries that voted against were the US, Israel,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Austria, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, and Nauru.
Germany, Italy, and Ukraine were among the countries that abstained, with Germany not supporting the resolution because it did not mention Hamas’ “barbaric” attack on Israel on the 7th of October.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stressed before the vote that a ceasefire would guarantee the continued existence of Hamas, describing Hamas as genocidal terrorists committed to the destruction of Israel and the Jews.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, described the vote as “historic” and considered it a “powerful message”. He stressed the collective obligation to continue this path until the aggression against the Palestinian people have ceased.
Although not legally binding, General Assembly votes have political force and reflect global attitudes, writes Politico.
Read also: UN marks 75 years of human rights declaration in shadow of Israel-Hamas conflict
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