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STORY: UN / GAZA RESOLUTION
TRT: 04:20
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 15 NOVEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
15 NOVEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY
2. Various shots, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Malta:
“This draft resolution we have in front of us today seeks to offer hope in this dark hour. It aims to ensure a respite from the current nightmare in Gaza and give hope to the families of all victims. It focuses in particular on the plight of children trapped in the war enclave and of those being held hostage. Over the past week, we have held extensive consultations with Council members, interested parties, countries in the region, and humanitarian organizations. We did this in an effort to achieve a balanced and operational text.”
4. Various shots, Council vote
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Ultimately, the United States could not vote yes on a text that did not condemn Hamas or reaffirm the right of all member states to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks. The Council repeatedly has made clear that we stand against all acts of terror. This horrific attack must be no exception. And the United States will continue to urge this Council to condemn Hamas’ actions.”
6. Wide shot, Council
7. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“From the very beginning of the current escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the delegation of the United States has sabotaged any attempts to develop a balanced and de-politicized document aimed at adopting realistic and urgent steps to de-escalate the situation. Our American colleagues in the Council justified the collective punishment and destruction of Palestinians - first and foremost, the civilian population - under the pretext of fighting against terrorism and the right of Israel to self-defence.”
8. Med shot, Palestine Ambassador Riyad Mansour addressing Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Palestine:
“The Security Council should have called for a ceasefire a long time ago. It should have called for a ceasefire now, it should have heeded the call by the UN and every humanitarian organization on Earth, calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations. It should have been convinced that there is no military solution, especially one that relies on the commission of atrocities, and it should have advanced political ones.”
10. Wide shot, Israeli Ambassador Brett Jonathan Miller addressing Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Brett Jonathan Miller, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“Sadly, this resolution falls on deaf ears when it comes to Hamas, and other terrorist organizations. On the seventh of October, savage Hamas terrorists launched a barbaric invasion into Israel, murdering raping, and brutalizing innocent civilians. Nearly six weeks have passed. This Council has convened on the matter almost 10 times and still has not succeeded in condemning Hamas’ October 7 massacre. The resolution focuses solely on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. It makes no mention of what led up to this moment.”
12. Wide shot, end of briefing
13. Wide shot, Mansour at the Security Council stakeout podium
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Palestine:
“We are only at the beginning of the process, because there are attacks against the hospitals. The Israeli Government declared before the end of this meeting, that they will not honour it, they will not implement it. Which means that very likely we might come back again soon to the Security Council demanding, you know, that they find ways for the implementations of their resolutions including this last one, 2417.”
15. Pan right, ambassadors walk away
The Security Council today (15 Nov) adopted a resolution calling for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access.
The resolution, drafted by Malta, received twelve votes in favour and three abstentions, The United Kingdom, the United States, and the Russian Federation.
Speaking before the vote, Malta’s Ambassador Vanessa Frazier said the draft resolution “seeks to offer hope in this dark hour” as it focuses “on the plight of children trapped in the war enclave and of those being held hostage.”
Frazier said Malta “held extensive consultations with Council members, interested parties, countries in the region, and humanitarian organizations” in an effort “to achieve a balanced and operational text.”
Speaking after the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “the United States could not vote yes on a text that did not condemn Hamas or reaffirm the right of all member states to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks.”
Thomas-Greenfield said, “the Council repeatedly has made clear that we stand against all acts of terror. This horrific attack must be no exception. And the United States will continue to urge this Council to condemn Hamas’ actions.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya told the Council that “from the very beginning of the current escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the delegation of the United States has sabotaged any attempts to develop a balanced and de-politicized document aimed at adopting realistic and urgent steps to de-escalate the situation.”
Nebenzya said, “our American colleagues in the Council justified the collective punishment and destruction of Palestinians - first and foremost, the civilian population - under the pretext of fighting against terrorism and the right of Israel to self-defence.”
Palestine Ambassador Riyad Mansour said, “the Security Council should have called for a ceasefire a long time ago. It should have called for a ceasefire now, it should have heeded the call by the UN and every humanitarian organization on Earth, calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations. It should have been convinced that there is no military solution, especially one that relies on the commission of atrocities, and it should have advanced political ones.”
For his part, Israeli Ambassador Brett Jonathan Miller said, “sadly, this resolution falls on deaf ears when it comes to Hamas, and other terrorist organizations.”
Miller said, “this Council has convened on the matter almost 10 times and still has not succeeded in condemning Hamas’ October 7 massacre. The resolution focuses solely on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. It makes no mention of what led up to this moment.”
Outside the Council Mansour – flanked by other Council members, said, “the Israeli Government declared before the end of this meeting, that they will not honour it, they will not implement it. Which means that very likely we might come back again soon to the Security Council demanding, you know, that they find ways for the implementations of their resolutions including this last one, 2417.”
The text of the resolution demands compliance with international law, specifically the protection of civilians, especially children. It also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, especially children.
The text calls on all parties not to deprive civilians in Gaza of basic services and humanitarian aid needed for their survival, welcomes the initial, limited deliveries of aid, and calls for that to be scaled up.
