The UN Security Council has once again postponed the vote on a resolution regarding the situation in Gaza, marking the fourth delay amid the ongoing Israeli aggression on the besieged territory.
This latest postponement comes after the United States announced its readiness to support the latest version of the resolution, urging “urgent measures” to improve humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
Diplomatic sources pointed out that the vote on the revised resolution is expected to take place on Friday. The new resolution, formulated on Thursday, calls for urgent measures to immediately enable safe and unobstructed access to humanitarian assistance, as well as creating conditions for a permanent cessation of hostilities.
The fresh resolution abandons the call for an “urgent and permanent” halt to hostilities present in its original version. It also removes the plea for an “urgent suspension” of hostilities, a milder expression found in a later version but omitted in the new draft.
Originally scheduled for Monday,
the vote has been repeatedly postponed, with the latest delay announced on Thursday evening.
Despite unprecedented pressure from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last December, the United States has vetoed the adoption of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, where Israeli aggression has persisted since October 7.
Last week, the General Assembly approved the same resolution with 153 votes in favor, 10 against, and 23 abstentions out of 193 member states. However, the UN General Assembly decisions are not binding.
Following this overwhelming support, the United Arab Emirates presented the new resolution to the Security Council.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received on Friday 22/12/2023 a phone call from President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, said President Macron extended congratulations to President El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt for a new term. The French President confirmed that France will continue its persistent efforts toward strengthening the outstanding cooperation with Egypt, which was appreciated by President El-Sisi. President El-Sisi underscored the profound Egyptian-French relations and stressed the importance of the ongoing endeavors to foster closer cooperation across all fields.
During their phone call, the two Presidents also discussed regional issues. France’s President was keen on getting a better understanding of President El-Sisi’s vision with regard to the crucial necessity to end the military operations in the Gaza Strip, so as to protect civilians and allow the unfettered access of the largest amount possible of humanitarian aid that m
eets the urgent needs of the inhabitants of the Strip. The two Presidents concurred about the need to exert the relevant intensive joint efforts. They also reiterated the importance of averting what might expand the scope of the conflict in the region, in order to preserve the resources of the peoples, which requires solidifying regional stability. President El-Sisi and President Macron were also aligned with regard to the need to act, in earnest, at the level of the international community to advance efforts toward achieving a settlement to the Palestinian issue in a just and comprehensive manner, through the implementation of the two-state solution.
Source: State Information Service Egypt
