Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the United Nations Security Council's failure to adopt the US-proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages in Gaza. Erdan expressed disappointment in the Council's decision, stating that not condemning Hamas was a stain that would never be forgotten. He emphasized that the resolution, had it passed, would have been a significant moment of morality for the UN, marking the first time the council or any UN body would have condemned Hamas for their brutal actions. Erdan lamented that the resolution did not pass due to political reasons, allowing terrorists to continue benefiting from the council's failure to hold them accountable.
On the other hand, the Council of Arab Ambassadors to the UN shared a different perspective. Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour highlighted the unified Arab position against the US-proposed draft resolution. Mansour criticized the resolution for being one-sided and failing to adequately address the situation in Gaza. He rejected the framing of the conflict as solely a terrorism issue and expressed opposition to the resolution's lack of mention of Israel, except for one instance.
During the vote, Russia, China, and Algeria voted against the US-proposed draft resolution. Only Russia and China possess veto power within the Security Council. The differing viewpoints presented by the Israeli and Arab ambassadors underscore the complex dynamics at play within the UN Security Council regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
