Middle-East

US veto criticised as ambassadors at UN Assembly decry Gaza crisis

Philippe Lazzarini Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) updates the General Assembly on the current situation of the Palestinian Refugees at the United Nations Headquarters on March 4, 2024 in New York City, USA. (Photo: John Lamparski/NurPhoto/AFP)

By Foreign Reporter | Tuesday, March 5, 2024

The 10 non-permanent Security Council members expressed regret at the US veto, saying the 15-member organ must shoulder its responsibilities.

During Monday's session at the UN General Assembly, ambassadors once again addressed the dire humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza and the vital efforts of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini provided a briefing, highlighting the agency's critical work amid existential threats.

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"We are in a situation where there is a political decision to eliminate UNRWA," Lazzarini said, citing the Israeli Premier's announcement that there is "no place" for UNRWA in Gaza.

He said the suffering in Gaza is impossible to adequately describe.

The session also featured a heated debate regarding the US veto of the last Security Council draft resolution for a ceasefire in the war-torn enclave, with the world body's president, Dennis Francis saying, "The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, unconscionable, shameful".

He stressed that a ceasefire is urgently needed.

"It is essential that we rapidly and substantially increase the scale of humanitarian operations and ensure unrestricted access to all civilians in need," said the President of the 78th session of the UNGA.

The death toll in Gaza is staggering. More than 30,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in just 150 days; 5% of the population is dead, injured or missing. It is impossible to adequately describe the suffering in Gaza
– Philippe Lazzarini @UNLazzarini, @UNRWA head pic.twitter.com/XHMzoeYQHH
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) March 4, 2024

US veto criticised

Member states roundly decried the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza with the 10 non-permanent Security Council members expressing regret at the US veto, saying the 15-member organ must shoulder its responsibilities.

Reportedly, over 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since the onset of the war, with five per cent of the enclave's population either deceased, injured, or missing.

The region faces a critical shortage of life-saving medical supplies, and the looming threat of famine adds to the dire humanitarian situation.

"I shudder to think of what will still be revealed about the horrors that have taken place in this narrow strip of land," Lazzarini said.

He urged the member states to commit to a political process for peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

Iran called for the prevention of genocide. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said the US veto will be judged by history.

"The Council's silence has become a license to kill," he said, condemning the most recent attack on Palestinians seeking aid last Thursday near Gaza City, which killed more than 100 people.

The Palestinian Permanent Observer at the UN, Riyad Mansour, stated that there is no greater to international peace and security than the commission of atrocities, adding that for five months now, "Israel has been committing atrocities against the Palestinian people, unchecked and unhinged."

"Israel must be told to ceasefire, to cease fire now," he said

The General Assembly session resumes today on the matter.