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Iran, Russia envoys to UN urge ceasefire in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Dec 2023 10:55
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The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Saeed Iravani says the US opposition to a ceasefire essentially advocates for more casualties among children and women in Gaza.

UN General Assembly adopts a resolution on “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” during the 45th plenary meeting of the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session. (UN)

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Saeed Iravani said the United States is openly resisting a ceasefire, effectively endorsing war, violence, and, ultimately, more casualties among children and women in Gaza.

Iravani made these remarks during the resumed session of the 10th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on Wednesday.

"One member state, a permanent member of the Security Council, misusing its unequal authority of veto power, and in clear disregard to the united will of the international community, has decided to stand with Israeli criminal regime, and materially enable this regime in its ongoing massacre against civilians in Gaza," Iravani said.

"The United States blatantly opposing a cease-fire, which means prescribing war, violence and eventually more death for children and women in Gaza," he added.

In the same context, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said during a UN General Assembly meeting that the humanitarian conditions in Gaza bear similarities to the Siege of Leningrad during "the Great Patriotic War by Nazi Germany."

“What comes to my mind is the blockade of Leningrad by the Nazis during World War Two,” Nebenzia said on Tuesday. “Is Gaza awaiting the same fate?”

It is worth noting that the Siege of Leningrad lasted for over 900 days and led to the loss of more than one million lives.

Nebenzia recently joined a delegation of UN Security Council members on a visit to the Rafah crossing on the Gaza border to assess the on-the-ground conditions. At the time, he described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "catastrophic" and deteriorating with each passing day.

The big picture

The United States last Friday vetoed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, "diplomatically" shielding its ally.

The US resort to its veto power comes after the Palestinian Health Ministry revealed that the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Gaza has risen to more than 18,000 martyrs, over 70% of which are children and women.

In a related development, the UN General Assembly, on Tuesday, adopted a non-binding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The #UnitedNations on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in #Gaza in light of the recent Israeli aggression on the Strip after more than three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly backed the move, which had been vetoed by the United States in the Security… pic.twitter.com/85PLZAcjb3
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 12, 2023

A total of 153 countries voted in favor of the resolution proposed by Egypt and Mauritania, while 10 members, including the United States and the Israeli occupation, voted against the measure and 23 abstained.

The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations Riyad Mansour considered that the vote marked "a historic day in terms of the powerful message that was sent from the General Assembly."

The resolution "demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire" and urges all parties to "comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law."