Washington will vote on a revised resolution to introduce aid to Gaza
Washington's representative at the Security Council confirms that they will support the Emirati resolution if it is presented with the requested changes, noting that it has not been weakened and is very strong, receiving support from the Arab group
The United States has announced that it will support the resolution regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza, which was postponed for three days at the United Nations Security Council. The announcement was made by Washington’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, during a press briefing at the United Nations building in New York. Meanwhile, Washington opposed ceasefire efforts and thwarted a resolution proposed by the UAE in its initial form.
The U.S. official pointed out that they worked intensively on the resolution presented by the UAE regarding Gaza last week, stating, “We are now ready to cast our vote,” indicating that the resolution will provide humanitarian assistance to those in need if adopted.
Greenfield stated that they will support the resolution if it is presented with the requested changes, noting that the resolution has not been weakened and is very strong, receiving support from the Arab group. According to UN sources, the vote on the resolution has been postponed until Friday.
The new draft of the resolution includes calls to take “urgent steps” to ensure safe and uninterrupted access for expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza and to create the necessary conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. After intense negotiations, the parties agreed to appoint the “Senior Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction” under the authority of the Secretary-General to expedite the delivery of aid to civil society in Gaza, instead of the mentioned mechanism.
The resolution requests the appointed coordinator, equipped with necessary personnel and equipment, to work under the authority of the United Nations and perform the duties assigned to them accordingly. The coordinator is tasked with confirming the type of humanitarian aid and, at the same time, facilitating, coordinating, supervising, and confirming the shipment of humanitarian aid.
The coordinator is also required to report their work to the UN Security Council after the first twenty days, and all parties are invited to cooperate with the coordinator. The resolution emphasizes that aid provided to civil society in Gaza must be “transported in sufficient quantities,” including food, water, cleaning materials, electricity, communications, and medical services.
These efforts come amid escalating war between the Israeli army and Palestinian factions, putting over two million Palestinians at risk of famine. The United States faces widespread criticism for its silence on violations against the residents of Gaza and its consistent support for Israel, tarnishing its image. American officials who visited Tel Aviv have been urged to change the approach to the war, especially regarding the targeting of civilians.
