Al Mayadeen obtains final version of Algerian UNSC draft resolution

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
20 Feb 2024 07:33
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The Algerian draft resolution rejects the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, and deems it a violation of international law.

People stand in the mostly empty Security Council chambers at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Al Mayadeen obtained the final version of the Algerian draft resolution set to be voted on in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday.

It is noteworthy that US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, confirmed that should the draft resolution presented by Algeria come up for a vote as drafted, it will not be adopted by Washington.

Our correspondent reported that the proposed draft resolution calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities for humanitarian reasons, to be respected by all parties.

The resolution reiterates the demand for strict adherence by all parties to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. It also condemns all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as all acts of violence and hostile actions against civilians, and all acts of terrorism.

According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, the Algerian draft resolution rejects the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, and deems it a violation of international law, calling for an immediate halt to any such violations.

The Algerian draft resolution calls for the release of all captives, as well as ensuring access to humanitarian assistance to meet their medical needs. It also calls on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law regarding all individuals they detain and respect their human rights.

The proposed draft resolution reiterates the call for full, rapid, safe, and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid to the entire Gaza Strip, and for the provision of urgent and continuous humanitarian assistance on a wide scale to Palestinian civilians. This includes facilitating the use of all available routes leading to the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings, in accordance with international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent also noted that the draft resolution calls for the full implementation of Resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023).

In addition, the proposed resolution reiterates steadfast commitment to the "two-state solution" in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions and emphasizes the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Elsewhere, the Algeria draft resolution emphasizes the importance of preventing further escalation in the region and calls, in this regard, for all parties to exercise maximum restraint. It also urges all influential parties to work toward achieving this goal.

The Arab Group in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday affirmed that the draft resolution submitted by Algeria to the Security Council is consistent with the priorities of the Arab Group and the broader international community - namely, calling for a ceasefire, determining the necessary scope for humanitarian aid access, and opposing forced displacement.

Vetoed by the US for the benefit of its biggest ally "Israel", previous draft resolutions presented to the Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza have failed.

The first time was on October 18, 2023, with a Brazil-drafted resolution, the second was on December 8, 2023, with a UAE-drafted resolution, and the third was on December 22, 2023, with a Russian-drafted resolution.

Although more than 29,000 Palestinians have been martyred in the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the United States continues to support "Israel" diplomatically and militarily, despite its alleged efforts to "facilitate" pauses for the fighting and a prisoner exchange deal between the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian Resistance factions.

While Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to persist with the war on Gaza until "destroying Hamas", the Palestinian Resistance has reiterated that it will negotiate a deal only if a permanent ceasefire agreement is achieved, refusing any temporary deals.