Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has endorsed a United Nations Security Council resolution on the situation in the Middle East.
The resolution called for “urgent and extended” humanitarian pauses in Gaza and an immediate release of hostages held by Hamas.
The United States, UK, and Russian Federation all abstained from voting on the resolution, while 12 nations voted in favour.
The United States and UK abstained because the text did not specifically condemn Hamas for its attack on Israel.
Penny Wong Welcomes UN resolution
In a post on X, Minister Wong said “Australia welcomes the United Nations Security Council resolution overnight.”“It is the first Middle East-related [United Nations Security Council or UNSC] resolution to be adopted since 2016 and is an important demonstration of unity from members on the conflict in the Middle East,” she said.
Ms. Wong said Australia has and will continue to support all the calls in the resolution.
The resolution called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and for corridors to be established through the Gaza Strip to enable the provision of essential goods and services.
In addition, it called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, especially children.
Further, it urged all parties to refrain from depriving the civilians in Gaza of life-saving services and humanitarian assistance.
The U.N. Security Council is made up of permanent members China, France, the Russian Federation, the UK, and the United States.
US Abstains
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, was “horrified” that few members of the Security Council would condemn the “barbaric terrorist attack that Hamas carried out against Israel” on Oct. 7.“What are they afraid of?” she said after the vote.
“Let’s be crystal clear: Hamas set this conflict in motion.”
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said the United States could not vote Yes on a text that failed to condemn Hamas or reaffirm the rights of member states to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks.
She said the United States would continue to push the Security Council to condemn to actions of Hamas. However, it did support many provisions in the text, and was pleased it at least mentioned Hamas.
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield endorsed the resolution’s call for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
The United Kingdom also abstained because the text did not condemn the terror group Hamas.
“The barbarity of those attacks should be clear to us all,” UK Ambassador to the United Nations Barbara Woodward said. “That is why the United Kingdom abstained today.”
China’s representative Zhang Jun said the Chinese regime endorsed efforts to promote a ceasefire, end fighting, and to restore peace.
French delegate Nicolas De Riviere supported the resolution because the humanitarian situation in Gaza was “already catastrophic.”
However, he echoed the concerns of the U.S. and UK representatives.
Brett Jonathan Miller, from Israel, said the resolution would sadly “fall on deaf ears,” noting that since Oct. 7, the Security Council had met 10 times and still had not condemned Hamas.
He said Hamas would commit its atrocities again if given the chance.
“They have shown the world that the genocidal rhetoric is not hyperbole, but an oath to annihilate Israel by any means,” he said.
Riyad H. Mansour, a permanent observer from the state of Palestine, said the Security Council should have called for a ceasefire long ago.
“Gaza bleeds. Death, devastation, and destruction everywhere. No one was spared,” he said.
