The UN Security Council is due to meet once again on Wednesday morning in New York on the Middle East crisis. This will be the first open meeting since the 15-member body passed a resolution in mid-November calling for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and extended humanitarian corridors to save and protect civilian lives.
China holds the presidency until the end of November and the meeting around the horseshoe table will take place at a ministerial level, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi due to be in the chair, and many other top diplomats from world capitals in attendance.
The meeting is due to start at 09:30 AM local time.
Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to report back on the implementation of that 15 November resolution – the first expression of unity on the Council over the crisis since the Hamas terror attacks and subsequent Israeli offensive – along with Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.
Here’s a reminder of the highlights from that mid-November meeting and you can watch it in full here, or catch up with the extended UN Meetings Coverage report, here.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 15 NOVEMBER
- The UN Security Council succeeds in finding unity, adopting resolution 2712 on the Israel-Palestine crisis that began on 7 October, with 12 members voting in favour, none against and three abstentions (Russia, United Kingdom, United States), calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors” in Gaza for “a sufficient number of days” to allow full, rapid, safe and unhindered access for UN agencies and partners
- The Council “calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, especially children, as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access”, by the terms of the resolution
- The Council, by additional provisions in the text, calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in Gaza of basic services and aid indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law
- The resolution does not condemn the Hamas attacks of 7 October which began the current wave of violence and battle for control of Gaza
- The Council rejected an amendment proposed by Russia, with five votes in favour, one against and nine abstentions
- “Our vote today translates into real human lives,” said the ambassador of Malta, penholder of the newly adopted resolution
- Ambassadors from the UK and US separately regretted to note that the draft failed to condemn Hamas and voiced support for civilian protection and rapid aid delivery measures
- Russia’s ambassador said a real ceasefire is needed and “the Council will need to make a decision on further steps”, including what observers to send to the conflict area and which UN contingent will be involved
- “This madness must be brought to an end,” said Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN, adding that: “It is time for peace”
- Israel’s Ambassador said the crisis could be brought to an immediate end if all Israeli hostages are returned unscathed and Hamas laid down their arms and turned themselves in
