The silver lining in the UN’s almost-condemnation of Hamas


Despite another bitter diplomatic defeat for Israel, ostensible cracks in General Assembly's automatic majority against Jewish state offer some solace

UN General Assembly

Raphael Ahrens writes in Times of Israel, “United Nations votes on Israel and the Palestinians are usually foregone conclusions. As the late foreign minister and former UN envoy Abba Eban famously quipped, ‘If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions.’ On Wednesday, Algeria introduced a resolution that condemned Israel for “excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force” during the recent protests at the Gaza border and called for the ‘protection’ of Palestinians.”

“While this particular outcome surprised no one, what happened in the immediate prelude to the vote was highly unusual and appeared to mark a crack in the international body’s automatic majority against all things Israel. While this particular outcome surprised no one, what happened in the immediate prelude to the vote was highly unusual and appeared to mark a crack in the international body’s automatic majority against all things Israel.”…Haley’s amendment, which blasted Hamas for firing rockets at Israel and for “inciting violence” at the Gaza border, and demanded the group “cease all violent activity and provocative actions,” went on to garner a majority of votes. It was a slim majority — 62 to 58, with 42 abstentions — but it was dramatic nonetheless. It underlined that Israel’s enemies don’t automatically win every single vote in the international body, and showed that more countries wanted to temper the anti-Israel resolution they were about to support with a condemnation of Hamas than not.”…

“But Algeria, trying to avert an embarrassing defeat, cited General Assembly Rule 84, which stated that “amendments to proposals relating to important questions… shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. General Assembly President Miroslav Lajčák, of Slovakia, agreed with Algiers, but Haley didn’t give up. General Assembly Rule 71 grants any ambassador the right to appeal against the president’s ruling, she said. Lajčák adjourned the session for a few minutes and then put her appeal to a vote. A simple majority would have overruled the president. Sixty-six countries voted in favor — four more than had backed her amendment — but 72 voted against her appeal.  The original resolution, without any mention of Hamas, was then overwhelmingly approved by 120 countries, with only the US, Israel, Australia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Togo and the Solomon Islands voting against it.” (more…)

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