Explanation of Vote by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia Following the Vote on a UNSC Draft Resolution on the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question
Madam President,
We are grateful to the elected members of the Council for their courage and efforts to advance this very timely and useful draft resolution, which was up for a vote today. We note in particular that within a very short time frame the sponsors managed to prepare a truly balanced and strong document geared at an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the lifting of the humanitarian blockade of Gaza. In the current tragic circumstances, this is the bare minimum, or, one might say, the first aid kit that the international community must provide so as to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian civilians.
Unfortunately, once again, the Council failed to arrive at an outcome agreeable to all members and adopt a “product” that could save Gaza, and indeed the entire Middle East region, from sliding further into chaos. Yet another opportunity was missed to demonstrate the Security Council's willingness to shoulder the responsibility for maintaining international peace and security in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has lasted for already eight decades. I think that today we have all been given another opportunity to see who really wants peace in the Middle East and who continues to play geopolitical games.
In the current circumstances, we pin particular hopes on the upcoming high-level conference on the Middle East which is to take place in New York this month and be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. It is important to make sure that this conference has tangible outcomes and is aimed at breathing new life into the concept of the two-state solution. To this end, the international community needs to display collective will and spare no effort to create conditions for resuming the peace process. We intend to actively engage in the meeting.
Thank you.
