New York: In a striking rebuke to US backing of Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, 143 nations have thrown their support behind a United Nations (UN) resolution advocating for expanded rights for Palestinians. The vote, held at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, saw nine countries oppose the resolution, including the US and Israel, while 25 countries abstained.
Prior to the vote, the US had actively lobbied against the resolution, emphasizing its focus on providing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. Nate Evans, spokesperson for the US mission to the UN, reiterated this stance, stating, “It will not end the fighting in Gaza or provide food, medicine, and shelter to civilians in Gaza — that is where US efforts are focused.”
The resolution seeks to empower Palestinians to present their own resolutions and participate fully in UN and international forums. Although Palestine has held observer-state status at the UN since 2012, it is striving for full membership within the organization.
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In addition to advocating for Palestinian rights, Friday’s resolution recommended that the Security Council accept Palestine’s full membership at the United Nations, a move previously thwarted by the US.
The US has historically favored Palestinian statehood only through direct negotiations with Israel, consistently opposing previous Palestinian membership initiatives at the UN, according to reports from Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hailed the overwhelming support for Palestinian rights, declaring, “This overwhelming vote in favor of Palestine confirms that the world stands with the freedom and rights of the Palestinian people and rejects the Israeli occupation of our land and people.”
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Strain in US-Israel Relations
Tensions between Israel and the US have escalated following Israel’s military offensive in the Rafah region of the Gaza Strip. US President Joe Biden has threatened to suspend certain arms supplies to Israel in response, although the US has affirmed its commitment to providing defensive weapons.
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Biden has also voiced concern over civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, underscoring the complexities of the US-Israel relationship amid the current conflict.
