Russia accuses US of ‘paralyzing’ the UN Security Council
Russia has stated that the US has “paralyzed” the UN Security Council, affecting its capacity to resolve the conflict in Gaza. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Russia has criticized the United States for its repeated vetoes of ceasefire resolutions concerning Gaza, claiming these actions have left the UN Security Council incapable of addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This criticism follows the UN General Assembly's recent adoption of two resolutions related to the Gaza war, one of which called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, similar to a proposal previously blocked by the US at the Security Council. It is important to note that unlike Security Council resolutions, those from the General Assembly are not legally binding.
The resolution that passed on Wednesday demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” and also called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” The second resolution expressed “full support” for the UN agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees and “deplored” Israel’s actions to restrict the agency’s operations in the West Bank and Gaza.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry remarked that the ceasefire resolution “largely repeated the content” of an earlier draft that was vetoed by the US last month.
The ministry asserted, “Once again, since the start of the unprecedented escalation of violence and bloodshed in the Arab-Israeli conflict, it is the UN General Assembly that is adopting the urgently needed resolutions.” It emphasized that the calls for a truce and access to humanitarian aid are “moral imperatives in the current catastrophic circumstances.”
Furthermore, the ministry noted that “The UN Security Council – the main body tasked with maintaining international peace and security – remains paralyzed as a result of the use of the veto power by Washington.”
In contrast, the US and Israel contend that an immediate halt to hostilities would primarily benefit Hamas and have accused the Palestinian group of undermining peace negotiations. US envoy to the UN, Robert Wood, stated, “It would be shameful and wrong if the General Assembly voted today to vindicate Hamas’ cynical strategy of stalling and obstruction,” in reference to Wednesday’s vote.
Israel has accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of covertly supporting Hamas and other militants. Israel’s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, claimed last month on X that, "Despite the overwhelming evidence we submitted to the UN that substantiate Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA, the UN did nothing to rectify the situation."
In response to this, UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini described Israel’s move to halt the agency’s operations as part of an “ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees."
Recent figures from local authorities indicate that nearly 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which commenced on October 7, 2023, following a surprise attack by Hamas and allied groups that resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli fatalities and over 250 hostage takings, with around 100 believed to still be held in Gaza.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
This criticism follows the UN General Assembly's recent adoption of two resolutions related to the Gaza war, one of which called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, similar to a proposal previously blocked by the US at the Security Council. It is important to note that unlike Security Council resolutions, those from the General Assembly are not legally binding.
The resolution that passed on Wednesday demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” and also called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” The second resolution expressed “full support” for the UN agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees and “deplored” Israel’s actions to restrict the agency’s operations in the West Bank and Gaza.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry remarked that the ceasefire resolution “largely repeated the content” of an earlier draft that was vetoed by the US last month.
The ministry asserted, “Once again, since the start of the unprecedented escalation of violence and bloodshed in the Arab-Israeli conflict, it is the UN General Assembly that is adopting the urgently needed resolutions.” It emphasized that the calls for a truce and access to humanitarian aid are “moral imperatives in the current catastrophic circumstances.”
Furthermore, the ministry noted that “The UN Security Council – the main body tasked with maintaining international peace and security – remains paralyzed as a result of the use of the veto power by Washington.”
In contrast, the US and Israel contend that an immediate halt to hostilities would primarily benefit Hamas and have accused the Palestinian group of undermining peace negotiations. US envoy to the UN, Robert Wood, stated, “It would be shameful and wrong if the General Assembly voted today to vindicate Hamas’ cynical strategy of stalling and obstruction,” in reference to Wednesday’s vote.
Israel has accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of covertly supporting Hamas and other militants. Israel’s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, claimed last month on X that, "Despite the overwhelming evidence we submitted to the UN that substantiate Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA, the UN did nothing to rectify the situation."
In response to this, UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini described Israel’s move to halt the agency’s operations as part of an “ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees."
Recent figures from local authorities indicate that nearly 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which commenced on October 7, 2023, following a surprise attack by Hamas and allied groups that resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli fatalities and over 250 hostage takings, with around 100 believed to still be held in Gaza.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
