By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : Stressing that Gaza is an “integral part” of the 1967 occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council late Thursday adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire in the Strip, leading to a full Israeli withdrawal from there, and for provision of humanitarian assistance.
The US abstained even though it contributed to the drafting of the resolution that has been amended by the Arab ministers.
The text went through a lot of negotiations and changes all day long before it was put to a vote in a Council ministerial meeting chaired by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal told reporters before the vote that it is a “historic” event and British Foreign Minister David Miliban expressed hope that the resolution will send a “very stong signal about the determination of the whole international community to build a dignity for the people of Gaza and security for the people of Israel.”
“Condemning all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism,” and “emphasizing that the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected,” the Council “stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”
Welcoming the “initiatives”, without naming Israel, “aimed at creating and opening humanitarian corridors,” the Council called for the “unimpeded provision and distribution” throughout Gaza of humanitariaan assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment.
Welcoming the Egyptian initiative, without mentioning President Hosni Mubarak, the Council also called upon member states to intensify efforts to provide “arrangements and guarantees” in Gaza in order to sustain a “durable ceasefire and calm,” including to prevent illicit trafficking in arms, and to ensure the sustained reopening of the crossing points on the basis of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access.
The original Arab draft resolution, which the ministerial committee dropped in favour of the western resolution, would have called for the establishment and deployment of an international observer force in the Strip “to be agreed in accordance with the ongoing diplomatic initiative”, to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire, to ensure the protection of the Palestinian civilians and to allow access of humanitarian assistance.
The Arab ministers have gathered in New York since the beginning of the week to push for Council action to end the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
They withrew their draft resolution on the issue after their US, British and French counterparts, who had threatened to veto the Arab draft resolution, agreed to change their draft statement into a draft resolution and included the Arab amendments.
The Council also “encouraged” tangible steps towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation including in support of Egyptian and Arab mediation efforts and called for “renewed and urgent” efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace based on the vision of a region where Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace with secure and recognised borders.
Explaining its abstention which came as a surprise to everybody, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said: “The US thought it important to see the outcome of the Egyptian mediation efforts in order to see what this resolution might have been supporting. That’s why we chose to abstain tonight.”
But after great deal of consideration, she said: “We decided that this resolution, the text of which we support, the goals of which we support and the objectives we fully support, should indeed be allowed to go forward. I believe in doing so, the Council has provided a road map for a sustainable, durable peace in Gaza.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who led the Arab ministers’ efforts this week to push for a Council action, told the Council: “This is a promising day. The Security Council has taken charge of the tragic crisis in Gaza and we hope this step will pave the way to solving it, and put an end to the bloodshed.”
By taking this action, he said, the Council has “definitely restored confidence in the machinery of peace-making”, reminding the members that the Council is not a device for “manipulation by states”.
“It is our hope that all parties will strictly adhere to this resoluton, … will take this as an achievement for international peace and security, and that all of us will vow to be as forthcoming in dealing with future crises as we have with this one,” he said.
“The real joy is not what we have achieved here,” he added. “The real joy will be in Gaza, where many innocent lives will hopefully be spared as a consequence of this action.”
He said the high cost of the loss of human life “should humble us, for success has come at a high price. Therefore we must cherish it and build on it”.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyadh Malki told reporters following the vote: “We are not really happy. We expected something more. But we are really satisfied with the outcome so far.”
“What really concerns us the most is really the immediate applicability of such resolution on the ground. We fear, and we have reasons to do so, that Israel will delay its acceptance and the implementation of the ceasefire for a few hours if not a few days.
“We also fear that during the next two days they will continue their attack and expand it to areas that they did not reach trying to take advantage and have further presence in the Palestinian occupied territories in order to start demanding many things before starting to withdraw.
“I do believe that we will witness in the next two days vicious attacks against the Palestinian people and more Palestinians killed even after such resolution has been passed by the Council.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Council he is “heartened and relieved” at the adoption of resolution 1860 that would “bring an end to this tragic situation”.
“Your decision signals the will of the international community. It must be fully respected by all parties to this conflict … This will open the way for the UN to resume urgently the delivery of humanitarian aid,” he said.
“We also need to turn quickly to the process of rebuilding what has been destroyed in the fighting. The UN stands ready to assist and support this process,” he added.
Ban said he would focus during his upcoming visit to the region on helping to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented, on making sure that urgent humanitarian assistance reaches those in need and on encouraging the diplomatic efforts currently underway.
Meanwhile, General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto, who had called for the General Assembly’s 10th Emergency Special Session, decided earlier Thursday to “defer” an assembly meeting planned for later in the day to discuss the crisis in Gaza in light of the Council vote.
“We will closely analyse the resolution and determine whether it is serious, and contemplate the pertinent measures both to ensure the immediate ceasefire and the unimpeded access to the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people,” he said.
The resolution came 14 days after Israel’s global and “excessive” assault on Gaza resulted in the death of over 700 civilians and thousands of injured.