Since taking up the issue in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the UN Security Council, in charge of the maintenance of international peace and security, has failed to adopt a common position on the violence in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel and to call for the full respect of international humanitarian law. Confusion even seems to have set in within the body.
A few minutes before the closed-door meeting on the situation in the Middle East on Friday, October 13, the Russian permanent representative, Vassily Nebenzia, "took everyone by surprise," said an ambassador who wished to remain anonymous. Nebenzia handed his 14 counterparts a draft resolution calling for "an immediate ceasefire" to protect the Israeli and Palestinian populations, and condemning "all violence and hostilities directed against civilians."
The Russian proposition does not refer to Hamas by name, whereas a few days ago the United States called on the Security Council to strongly condemn the "heinous terrorist attacks" of the Palestinian Islamist movement. The Russian text rejects "all acts of terrorism" and calls for the safe release of all hostages. "We're convinced that the Security Council must act to put an end to the bloodshed and restart peace negotiations with a view to establishing a Palestinian state as it was supposed to do so long ago," said the Russian ambassador to the United Nations (UN).
"Some people didn't even read [Russia's] proposed text and immediately rejected it," said the diplomat who attended the session. "Russia has been discriminated against ever since it violated the UN Charter [since the start of the war in Ukraine]," they continued.
"There is, however, an emerging consensus on humanitarian concerns," Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun told the Council after the discussions, before saying that he welcomes any effort to help de-escalate the situation.
During the meeting, there was a consensus to recognize Israel's right to self-defense – in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter – given the "unprecedented attack" it suffered on October 7. The Russian representative then reiterated that this defense should be exercised proportionately and "without a desire for revenge".
Two stumbling blocks currently divide the Council: The evacuation of the population of Gaza and the possible intervention of an Israeli ground force in the Palestinian enclave. The Western permanent members are arguing for limiting as little as possible Israel's radius of action. "The United States simply won't accept a text calling for an immediate ceasefire in the next few days," argues Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group think tank. "In 2021, they refused to endorse any Council statement on the conflict between Israel and Hamas until Israel had achieved its military objectives."
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