Real turnaround, or simple vote with no concrete impact? The UN Security Council demanded for the first time this Monday, March 25, an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, a call blocked several times by the United States, which abstained this time. The resolution, adopted to applause by 14 votes in favor, with one abstention, that of Washington, “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan” – which already began two weeks ago -, in order to “bring to a lasting ceasefire”, and “demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”.
This adopted resolution is the result of the work of the non-permanent members of the Council, who negotiated all weekend with the United States to try to avoid another failure, according to diplomatic sources with AFP. Last Friday, Russia and China vetoed a draft American resolution emphasizing the “need” for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza in connection with negotiations for the release of hostages captured during of the bloody and unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 on Israeli soil. “This bloodbath has lasted too long. […] Finally, the Security Council takes its responsibilities,” said Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama, co-depositary of the text.
This time, the resolution therefore does not link its requests to the diplomatic efforts of Qatar, the United States and Egypt, even if it “recognizes” the existence of these talks aimed at a truce accompanied by an exchange Palestinian hostages and prisoners. But American Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, for her part, nevertheless insisted on a link, putting pressure on Hamas. “A ceasefire can begin immediately after the release of a first hostage […] This is the only way to ensure a ceasefire and the release of the hostages,” she said.
Growing US-Israel tensions
If the White House assured that this was in no way a “change of course”, this shift in their position sparked a strong reaction from the Israeli side. Immediately after the resolution’s adoption, Israel canceled a delegation visit that was expected to Washington, saying the U.S. abstention was “harming” both its war effort and its efforts to free the hostages. “This is a clear step back from the consistent position of the United States in the Security Council since the start of the war” on October 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
A diplomatic exchange of arms which symbolizes the growing tensions between the two countries over the conduct of the war in Gaza, and in particular around the possible Israeli military operation in the town of Rafah where nearly 1.5 million people are currently gathered. Palestinian civilians. “We are very disappointed that they are not coming to Washington to allow us to have a substantive conversation about credible alternatives to a ground operation in Rafah,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council. while the White House said it was “surprised” by Israel’s reaction.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallan is nevertheless already in the American capital, where he met this Monday with the American national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, as well as the head of diplomacy Antony Blinken. “We do not have the moral right to stop the war as long as there are hostages in Gaza,” declared Yoav Gallant just before this interview, while the Israeli minister is also due to see Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin on Tuesday .
The end of a “deafening silence”, says France
The vote for this resolution, however, was widely applauded on the Palestinian side. This vote “must be a turning point […] This must be the signal of the end of this onslaught of atrocities against our people,” declared Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour, hailing a “historic day.” The Palestinian Authority also “welcomed” this adoption, asking “l “definitive end to this criminal war and the immediate withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip” through the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, Hussein al-Sheikh. Finally, even Hamas welcomed the UN resolution this Monday, expressing his “desire to initiate a prisoner/hostage exchange process “immediately”, while negotiations for a truce between the Islamist group and Israel have not been successful in recent weeks.
Can this resolution be brought to change the balance of forces? While this focuses on a temporary ceasefire for Ramadan, several countries, including France, have in any case insisted on the need for a longer-term cessation of fighting. The Council must also “work towards the recovery and stabilization of Gaza” and “put a political process back on track aimed at establishing a two-state solution”, insisted French Ambassador to the United Nations Nicolas de Rivière, congratulating the Council for breaking its “deafening silence”.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné assured that the UN resolution must be “fully implemented”, while UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres considered that its non-application would be “unforgivable”. There is no doubt: the pressure on Israel is unlikely to ease in the coming weeks.