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UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approved a US-drafted resolution that gives the green light for deploying an international stabilisation force in Gaza and sets out a potential political route toward the creation of a Palestinian state.
The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favour, while Russia and China chose to abstain. Moscow — which had put forward a competing draft — ultimately declined to veto the measure, allowing Washington’s proposal to pass after days of uncertainty.
The Council’s decision marks a significant step for the fragile ceasefire and for ongoing discussions on how Gaza will be governed after two years of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas. Several Arab and Muslim-majority countries, which had expressed willingness to contribute troops, had made clear they would only participate if the mission carried explicit Security Council approval.
At the heart of the adopted text is US President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire blueprint. It calls for establishing a transitional “Board of Peace,” to be led by Trump, and authorises the deployment of a multinational force with a broad remit — from securing borders and maintaining order to overseeing Gaza’s demilitarisation. Both the board’s mandate and the force’s authorisation run until the end of 2027.
Throughout nearly two weeks of negotiations, Arab states and Palestinian representatives pushed Washington to strengthen guarantees regarding Palestinian political rights. In response, the US modified the resolution to state that, following reforms within the Palestinian Authority and progress in rebuilding war-torn Gaza, the groundwork could be laid for “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The document also commits the United States to launch structured talks between Israel and the Palestinians to define a “political horizon” for peaceful coexistence.
These additions, however, drew sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated his opposition to any steps seen as paving the way for a Palestinian state. Netanyahu argued that such a move would embolden Hamas and create future security risks for Israel.
A central reason the resolution succeeded was the backing of key Arab and Muslim nations. Ahead of the vote, the US circulated a joint statement — signed by Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey — urging the Council to adopt the measure without delay.
The vote came at a time when hopes were rising that Gaza’s precarious ceasefire would hold. The conflict was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel, which left around 1,200 people dead. Israel’s subsequent military operation in Gaza has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities, who say most of the victims are women and children.
The US-backed plan prevailed despite Russia’s late attempt to introduce a rival resolution, which called for stronger commitments toward Palestinian statehood and insisted that Gaza and the West Bank be reunited under the Palestinian Authority.
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/unsc-to-vote-today-on-us-backed-plan-for-international-force-in-gaza/
