Accessible document Please recycleUnited Nations S/PV.9442Security CouncilSeventy-eighth year9442nd meetingWednesday, 18 October 2023, 10 a.m.New YorkProvisionalPresident: Mr. França Danese. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Brazil)Members: Albania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. HoxhaChina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Zhang JunEcuador. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Pérez LooseFrance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. De RivièreGabon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. BiangGhana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. AgyemanJapan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. IshikaneMalta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. FrazierMozambique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. AfonsoRussian Federation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. NebenziaSwitzerland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. BaeriswylUnited Arab Emirates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. NusseibehUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. . Dame Barbara WoodwardUnited States of America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Thomas-GreenfieldAgendaThe situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian questionThis record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches deliveredin other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council.Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copyof the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of theVerbatim Reporting Service, room AB-0601 (verbatimrecords@un.org). Corrected records will bereissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org).23-31062 (E)*2331062*S/PV.9442 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 18/10/20232/10 23-31062The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m.Adoption of the agendaThe agenda was adopted.The situation in the Middle East, including thePalestinian questionThe President: The Security Council will nowbegin its consideration of the item on its agenda.Members of the Council have before them documentS/2023/773, which contains the text of a draft resolutionsubmitted by Brazil.The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on thedraft resolution before it.The representative of the Russian Federation hassubmitted amendments (S/2023/775 and S/2023/776) tothe text of the draft resolution.The representative of the Russian Federation hasasked for the floor.Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke inRussian): During consultations on 16 October, manySecurity Council members tried to dissuade us fromcalling for a vote on our depoliticized humanitariandraft resolution. We were asked to wait 24 hours so thatmembers could submit a “consensus” draft resolution.We did not agree with that. And we were right, becausein the end, after almost two days, today’s voting willbe on a draft resolution that is only slightly, but veryquestionably, changed and was not even discussed withCouncil members. We regret that in the end the Councilwasted another precious 36 hours, during which time thedeath toll increased: the strike on the hospital in Gazayesterday evening killed hundreds of civilians. Againstthat background, inaction by the Security Councillooks appalling. We warned colleagues yesterday thatwe simply could not waste any time.I will speak frankly, since the time for diplomaticmetaphors has obviously long passed. Everyone whodid not support our humanitarian draft resolutioncalling for an immediate ceasefire (S/2023/772) mustunderstand that they bear some of the responsibilityfor what happened in Gaza. Brazil’s draft resolution(S/2023/773), unfortunately, will not help to avert arepetition of that tragedy. It includes no direct call fora ceasefire — which is the most important elementfor de-escalating the situation on the ground. It isvery important wording, which has been replaced bya call for humanitarian pauses, which are also limitedsolely to ensuring unhindered humanitarian access forUnited Nations agencies. But that is not the same thing.Humanitarian pauses will not help stop the bloodshed.Only a ceasefire can do that.In addition, the draft resolution still contains anumber of political elements that, while condemning oneside, do not send the proper incentive signals to the otherregarding the absolute inadmissibility of deadly attackson civilians and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip. Theimportance of that now, I think, is absolutely crystalclear to everyone.We have therefore proposed two amendments toaddress those shortcomings. The first (S/2023/775)introduces a new operative paragraph unequivocallycondemning indiscriminate attacks on the civilianpopulation and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip,including yesterday’s missile attack on the Al AhliHospital, as well as strongly condemning the blockade.The second amendment (S/2023/776) adds a newparagraph to the operative part of the draft resolution,calling for an immediate, sustainable and respectedhumanitarian ceasefire.If the amendments we have proposed are not includedin the text of the draft resolution, it would not contributeto correcting the catastrophic humanitarian situationin Gaza. On the contrary, it would only deepen thedivisions among members of the Security Council andpolarize the positions of members of the internationalcommunity. We urge the members of the Council tovote in favour of the amendments proposed by Russia.The President: Members of the Council have beforethem proposed amendments, submitted by the RussianFederation, to the text of the draft resolution contained indocument S/2023/773, submitted by Brazil.Rule 36 of the Council’s provisional rules ofprocedure states the following:“If two or more amendments to a motion ordraft resolution are proposed, the President shallrule on the order in which they are to be voted upon.Ordinarily, the Security Council shall first vote onthe amendment furthest removed in substance fromthe original proposal and then on the amendmentnext furthest removed until all amendments havebeen put to the vote, but when an amendment addsto or deletes from the text of a motion or draftresolution, that amendment shall be voted on first.”18/10/2023 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question S/PV.944223-31062 3/10Accordingly, I intend to put the proposedamendments to the vote first.I shall now put to the vote the proposed amendmentto be inserted after operative paragraph 2 of the draftresolution. The amendment is contained in documentS/2023/775.A vote was taken by show of hands.In favour:Brazil, China, Gabon, Mozambique, RussianFederation, United Arab EmiratesAgainst:United States of AmericaAbstaining:Albania, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta,Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern IrelandThe President: The amendment received 6 votesin favour, 1 against and 8 abstentions. The proposedamendment has not been adopted, having failed to obtainthe required number of votes.I shall now put to the vote the proposed amendmentto be inserted before operative paragraph 1 of the draftresolution. The amendment is contained in documentS/2023/776.A vote was taken by show of hands.In favour:Brazil, China, Gabon, Mozambique, RussianFederation, Switzerland, United Arab EmiratesAgainst:United States of AmericaAbstaining:Albania, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta,United Kingdom of Great Britain and NorthernIrelandThe President: The amendment received 7 votesin favour, 1 against and 7 abstentions. The proposedamendment has not been adopted, having failed to obtainthe required number of votes.The representative of the Russian Federation hasasked for the floor.Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke inRussian): The voting on the amendment contained indocument S/2023/776, to be inserted before operativeparagraph 1 of draft resolution S/2023/773, on animmediate ceasefire, and on the amendment containedin S/2023/775, to be inserted after operative paragraph 2of draft resolution S/2023/773, on a condemnation of theattacks against civilians, which were proposed by Russia,has made everything crystal clear. The delegations thateither abstained in the voting or voted against thoseamendments were essentially against the cessation ofthe bloodshed in the Middle East. There can be no otherexplanation. Of course, colleagues in this Chamber willuse formal excuses, such as claiming that the languageof the amendments were not balanced, but those will allsound pathetic — it is as simple as that.Those colleagues have made their choice, and theywill have to bear responsibility for that choice before thecitizens of their countries, as well as of the countries inthe region and the millions of civilians who are livingunder that deadly threat.The President: It is my understanding that theCouncil is ready to proceed to the vote on the draftresolution contained in document S/2023/773, submittedby Brazil.I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.A vote was taken by show of hands.In favour:Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Gabon,Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland,United Arab EmiratesAgainst:United States of AmericaAbstaining:Russian Federation, United Kingdom of GreatBritain and Northern IrelandThe President: The draft resolution received 12votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions. The draftresolution has not been adopted, owing to the negativevote of a permanent member of the Council.I shall now make a statement in my capacity as therepresentative of Brazil.At last Friday’s closed consultations, Councilmembers asked for Brazil’s leadership in its capacityas President of the Council for the month of Octoberto facilitate a Council response to the escalating crisisin Israel and Palestine, in particular its humanitarianaspects. We heeded the call with a sense of urgency andresponsibility. In our view, the Council had to take actionS/PV.9442 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 18/10/20234/10 23-31062and do so very quickly. Council paralysis in the face ofa humanitarian catastrophe is not in the interest of theinternational community.Therefore, throughout the past weekend and thefollowing days, we worked very hard through extensiveand collaborative engagement with Council membersto help build a unified position. While making a goodfaith effort to accommodate different — sometimesopposing — positions, our focus was and remains on thecritical humanitarian situation on the ground. Politicalrealism guided us, but our sight was always set on thehumanitarian imperative. Exactly as with other verysensitive items on the Council’s agenda in which Brazilhad a special role to play, international humanitarianlaw and human rights law provided a clear frameworkfor action.Our proposed draft resolution (S/2023/773)unequivocally condemned all forms of violence againstcivilians, including the heinous acts of terrorism byHamas and the taking of hostages. It called for theirimmediate and unconditional release. It also called onall parties to strictly abide by their international legalobligations, in particular those relating to the protectionof civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarianpersonnel. The draft resolution also stressed the urgentneed for humanitarian access to civilians. The textincorporated urgent and multiple calls by the UnitedNations and many other actors for humanitarian pausesto allow for the delivery of aid and the voluntary safepassage of civilians. It encouraged the establishmentof humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms tofacilitate the smooth delivery of aid. The draft furtherreflected the ethical necessity to provide civilians inGaza with electricity, water, fuel, food and medicalsupplies and the necessity to be protected from forcedrelocation when the prevailing conditions on the grounddo not ensure a safe and secure displacement. Thus,faced with heinous terrorist acts against Israeli civilians,the forceful reaction to such acts and an ever-growinghumanitarian disaster imposed on Gaza, the Councilresponse we proposed was robust and balanced.We are grateful to all Council members who haveengaged with us since Friday and demonstrated a sincereand practical commitment to multilateralism.Very sadly, the Council was yet again unable toadopt a resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Again, silence and inaction prevailed in no one’s truelong-term interest.While we deeply regret that collective action is madeimpossible in the Security Council, we do hope thatefforts by other actors will yield positive results. Theymust be prompt, effective and substantial. Hundreds ofthousands of civilians in Gaza cannot wait any longer.Actually, they have waited for far too long to no avail.I resume my functions as President of the Council.I shall now give the floor to those members of theCouncil who wish to make statements after the voting.Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spokein Russian): We have just witnessed yet anotherdemonstration of the hypocrisy and double standardsof our American colleagues. While not opposing inprinciple the idea of adopting a humanitarian resolutionin the Security Council, they were not genuinelyinterested in it and simply hoped to put enough pressureon Council members to have the draft resolution collapsewithout needing to veto it. As their attempt failed, theyhad to take their masks off before us today.I am not going to waste Council members’ time bybelabouring this point. I think what has happened iscrystal clear. However, I would like to refer to what thehead of Lockheed Martin, James Taiclet, said yesterdaywhen speaking with the American media.“It makes no sense to restrain Israel from militaryaction. What is the point? The point is that we needto further develop our military industrial complex,which should account for more than 2 per cent of ourgross domestic product. There are conflicts that needto be resolved with weapons, and we are prepared toprovide those weapons.”We have no comment. That is the very essence ofthe United States policy — from the Middle East regionto Ukraine and the Asia-Pacific region. We hope that,after today’s vote, our international partners will have noillusions about that.Mrs. Thomas-Greenfield (United States ofAmerica): As we meet, President Biden is in the region.His trip is a clear demonstration of the fact that theUnited States is actively engaging at the highest levelsto secure the release of hostages, to prevent the conflictfrom spreading, to stress the need to protect civilian lives,to address the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians inGaza and to demonstrate to the Israeli people that theUnited States stands with them in their time of sorrowand need.18/10/2023 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question S/PV.944223-31062 5/10We are on the ground doing the hard work ofdiplomacy. While we recognize Brazil’s desire to moveforward draft resolution S/2023/773, we believe we needto let that diplomacy play out, especially when SecretaryGeneral Guterres, President Biden, Secretary Blinkenand regional actors are engaged in intensive dialogue onthe very issues we are deliberating on today.Yes, resolutions are important, and yes, the Councilmust speak out. But the actions we take must be informedby the facts on the ground and support direct diplomacyefforts that can save lives. The Council needs to getthis right.The United States is disappointed that this draftresolution made no mention of Israel’s right of selfdefence. Like every nation in the world, Israel has theinherent right of self-defence, as reflected in Article51 of the Charter of the United Nations, Followingprevious terrorist attacks by groups such as Al-Qaidaand the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham, the Councilreaffirmed that right. This text should have done thesame. Though we could not support this draft resolution,we will continue to work closely with all Councilmembers on this pressing issue, just as we will continueto reiterate the need to protect civilians, includingmembers of the media, humanitarian workers and UnitedNations officials.When I talk about the protection of civilians, Imean all civilians. The United States is horrified andsaddened by yesterday’s explosion at the Al Ahli ArabHospital in Gaza. We mourn this tragic loss of life. Onthe humanitarian front, we are working with Israel, itsneighbours, the United Nations and other partners toaddress the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It is critical thatfood, medicine, water and fuel begin flowing into Gazaas soon as possible. Families, the elderly and children arein dire need.Let us be clear. Hamas’s own actions have broughton this severe humanitarian crisis. Hamas has caused somuch needless suffering, death and destruction. EveryMember State should condemn Hamas’s terrorism andcruelty and every Member State should call on Hamas tocease its endless barrage of rockets against Israel. Thatis not complicated, and it is not controversial. It is thebare minimum.At this difficult moment, let us all call for the protectionof civilians and unequivocally condemn Hamas. Let usall affirm Israel’s right of self-defence and support theurgent diplomatic efforts under way. Let us stand withthe United Nations and other partners as they work toalleviate the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians inGaza. And let us all support equal measures of justiceand freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.Mrs. Frazier (Malta): Malta voted in favour of draftresolution S/2023/773, submitted by Brazil. Malta hasalso abstained on the two amendments proposed by theRussian Federation, contained in documents S/2023/775and S/2023/776. Although we have no issue with thesubstance, we saw no reason to alter a well-craftedresolution that rests on a delicate balance and that soughtCouncil unity on this critical matter. We deeply regretthat the draft resolution was not adopted and remaingravely concerned about the highly volatile situationin Israel and Gaza. Notwithstanding that decision, theCouncil must critically remain seized with the matter andstrive to work towards constructive steps that prioritizethe protection of civilians and prevent any potentialregional conflagration.Within that context, Malta unequivocally condemnsin the strongest possible terms the barbaric terroristacts perpetrated by Hamas on Israeli soil and againstthe people of Israel. Malta emphasizes that Israel hasthe right to self-defence in the face of such violence andindiscriminate attacks. It has the right and obligationto protect its territory and its people in line withhumanitarian and international law and the principlesof distinction and proportionality. We also reiterate ourcall on Hamas to unconditionally and safely release thehostages immediately.We deeply regret that the casualties of this war havealready included numerous medical, humanitarian andUnited Nations staff. Hundreds were killed in yesterday’shorrific strike on the Al Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza,which was sheltering thousands of displaced. Such actionsare deplorable. They are a blunt breach of internationallaw, which categorically prohibits endangering civilians,medical staff and humanitarian establishments.This is the inevitable result of the military operationsthat are being conducted in Gaza, one of the most denselypopulated places on Earth. Decisions to cut off electricity,water supply and refuse supplies of aid and fuel are alsodeeply concerning and are leading to catastrophic results.The evacuation order, which displaced over 1 millionpeople to south Gaza, has had serious humanitarianconsequences. Such decisions are inconsistent withinternational humanitarian law and must be rescinded.Malta also stresses the crucial importance that therebe rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to GazaS/PV.9442 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 18/10/20236/10 23-31062and urges the immediate establishment of humanitariancorridors in that regard.At this juncture, the importance of preventing aregional spillover is critical. It is therefore imperativefor all parties to exercise maximum restraint and fullycomply with the norms of international law. Our efforts,moving forward, must be steadfast in aligning with a justand comprehensive resolution of the Middle East conflict.Mr. Zhang Jun (China) (spoke in Chinese): Thenight before last, I already gave a comprehensive accountof China’s views on the current situation in Palestineand Israel. In the upcoming emergency meeting, I shallelaborate on China’s position.I will now focus on China’s position on today’s voteand the fact that draft resolution S/2023/773 failed to beadopted. We are shocked and disappointed.The night before last, Russian draft resolutionS/2023/772 focused on the humanitarian situation inthe conflict between Palestine and Israel, and called foran immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians.That draft resolution received a great deal of supportand sponsorship from Arab countries. However, somecountries chose to cast a negative vote. The reason giventhen was that they intended, rather, to base their positionson the draft resolution submitted by Brazil so as to havemore time to deliberate. Brazil and other colleaguesagreed to that request by postponing the voting foranother 24 hours, which was followed by a further delay,until now. Over the past 40 hours, those countries haveneither commented on nor expressed opposition to theBrazilian draft resolution. That led us to hope that todaythey would vote in favour of the draft resolution and theCouncil would be able to adopt the resolution.However, the final result of the vote is nothing shortof unbelievable. China also believes that the Braziliandraft resolution still has room for improvement. Itshould send a strong message and call for a ceasefireand the protection of civilians so as to prevent ahumanitarian catastrophe.China has therefore proposed amendments intendedto improve the draft resolution, while at the same timeagreeing with the Russian amendment. We are verydisappointed that it failed to be adopted. Nevertheless, inview of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza and theair strike on the hospital, among other actions, yesterday,which resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, theCouncil therefore must take immediate measures. Chinacondemns in the strongest terms any air strike againsthospitals, and we urge Israel to effectively adhere to itsthe obligations under international humanitarian law.We call for an immediate ceasefire and the protection ofcivilians to prevent a greater humanitarian catastrophe.The draft resolution submitted by Brazil reflectsthe general view of the international community as tothe initial steps that the Council should take to achievea ceasefire. And, given the current circumstances, itmight be the only possible draft resolution on which theCouncil can reach a consensus. Certain countries arestating orally that the Council should take appropriateaction. However, their votes on the text of the draftresolution raise doubts regarding their willingness toenable the Council to take meaningful action and to finda solution to the problem.In the final analysis, Council members should notsit idly by. The current situation in Gaza is escalating.An increasing number of civilians are paying the pricewith their lives and bearing the brunt of the conflict.Therefore, concerning the issue of a ceasefire, thecessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians andthe prevention of a greater humanitarian catastrophe, theCouncil must effectively shoulder its responsibility andplay its due role.Mr. Afonso (Mozambique): Mozambique wouldlike to commend Brazil and your presidency, Sir, for theexcellent leadership in conducting this work, which isthorny, but important. We also thank you for providingthe Security Council with a very valuable text.We voted in favour of the draft resolution (S/2023/773).We deeply regret that it could not be adopted, owing tothe exercise of the veto. In voting in favour of the draftresolution, Mozambique would like to express its deepconcern about the outbreak and escalation of violence, thedeterioration of the situation in Gaza and the consequentunfolding humanitarian crisis. Moreover, we are deeplyconcerned about the human lives being lost on a dailybasis since the conflict erupted. The civilian population,mainly children, women and the elderly, are suffering themost from the atrocities and the grave effects of the war.In supporting the draft resolution, Mozambiqueassociates itself with the collective efforts of the Councilaimed at ensuring the protection of civilians andrespect for international human rights law, internationalhumanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, asapplied to the conflict both in Gaza and in Israel. It isour strong call that humanitarian aid must reach thepopulations in need in Gaza. That includes the provisionof essential goods and services and medical supplies.18/10/2023 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question S/PV.944223-31062 7/10We are conscious of the fact that, ultimately,humanitarian problems need political solutions. Thatbelief reflects our own experience, which originatesin our protracted struggle against colonialism, racismand apartheid in the Southern African region. In thatcontext, we urge all parties to immediately stop attacks,refrain from further violence and engage in constructivedialogue. Mozambique firmly believes that Israel andPalestine can resolve their differences only throughdialogue. We hold the view that peace is always possibleif the conflicting parties are genuinely willing to followthe path of justice and tolerance. We would thereforelike to reiterate our appeal to members of the Councilto redouble our efforts towards a sustainable solutionto the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We believe thatthe Palestinian people and the Israeli people have aninalienable right to statehood. They can live together,side by side, in peace and security, as good neighbours.As a matter of fact, the Charter of the United Nationscompels the parties and indeed the entire internationalcommunity to practice tolerance and live together inpeace with one another as good neighbours.Mr. Agyeman (Ghana): Let me begin by thankingyour presidency, Sir, and all delegations for their effortsto produce a consensual draft resolution that couldhave helped support the efforts of the Security Councilto de-escalate the growing tensions and respond to thetragic situation that we are all witnessing in the GazaStrip and southern Israel. We deeply regret that thedraft resolution (S/2023/773) could not be adopted. ForGhana, we have always held that, to the extent possible,the Council should speak as one voice on this importantdispute, the fault lines of which reach many distantparts of the world. We have therefore, from the verybeginning, given priority to the efforts, entrusted to thepresidency, to lead all of us in that direction. It was alsoin that regard that we voted in favour of the Braziliandraft resolution but deemed it important to abstain in thevoting on the draft resolution (S/2023/772) proposed onMonday night (see S/PV.9439) and the draft amendmentsto today’s draft resolution (S/2023/775 and S/2023/776),to preserve the broadest possible agreement that wasfound to guide us in a common direction.Despite the highly sensitive nature of the decadesold Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the differences inapproaches that we may have in resolving it, what shouldbe paramount is our historic responsibility as a Councilto deliver the two-State solution and preserve the livesof the two nations whose destinies are bound by historyand a common and shared area. The Council’s inabilityto act on its responsibility today, however, should notbreak our resolve. We believe that a united Council voiceand action on the matter is still required and critical tostabilizing the situation and assisting the parties to enterinto in dialogue, which is the only viable path to durablepeace. We should therefore continue to ask the parties tode-escalate, seek consensus to support mediation effortsand knock on the doors of all those who can have amoderating influence on the parties to open up the spacefor dialogue.Mr. Ishikane (Japan): Japan voted in favour of thedraft resolution (S/2023/773), because it can supportits main ideas, bearing in mind various perspectives,including the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Japan hasunequivocally condemned the terror attacks by Hamasand others and called for the immediate release of thosewho were kidnapped. We feel enormous indignation at thetremendous damage and harm done to innocent civiliansby the attack on a hospital in Gaza City on 17 October.At the same time, we would like to point out thatJapan had asked to delay the vote on the draft resolutionproposed by Brazil on the understanding that variouscountries, including the United States, have continuedto make diplomatic efforts on the ground to improve thesituation as soon as possible. Japan greatly regrets thatthe draft resolution was nonetheless put to a vote today.Japan has consistently and strongly supported and putits faith in diplomatic efforts by President Biden of theUnited States and leaders of other relevant countries.All of us — and especially those who have referredto hypocrisy — should think twice about whether weare really being faithful to the principles of humanrights and doing enough to make a difference on theground where improving the humanitarian situation isconcerned. Action is needed. Japan will continue to workwith other countries to ensure the safety of civiliansand de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible.Mrs. Baeriswyl (Switzerland) (spoke in French):Since 7 October, Switzerland has strongly condemned theacts of terror, indiscriminate attacks and hostage-takingperpetrated by Hamas against the Israeli population. Wedeplore the deaths of thousands of civilians, includinghundreds of children, in Israel and the occupiedPalestinian territory, particularly Gaza. Switzerland joinsthe Secretary-General in unequivocally condemning thestrikes, particularly the one that according to the UnitedNations caused hundreds of deaths and dozens of injuriesyesterday at the Al Ahli Anglican-Episcopal Hospital.We express our sincere condolences to the families of thevictims and to the injured.S/PV.9442 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 18/10/20238/10 23-31062We are deeply concerned about the large-scalehumanitarian crisis in Gaza and the tragic situationfacing the civilian population. Almost a millionpeople are displaced. There is an urgent need to allowhumanitarian aid to enter Gaza, with water, electricityand medical supplies running out.The day before yesterday (see S/PV.9439), allof us around this table said that the situation in theMiddle East requires united and urgent action by theCouncil. De-escalation, the protection of civilians,humane treatment of all hostages — whose immediaterelease Switzerland calls for — and rapid, safe andunhindered humanitarian access are top priorities.The draft resolution presented by Brazil (S/2023/773)responded to those priorities and was aimed at achievinga common understanding within the Council, whichis why Switzerland voted in favour of it and why wedeeply regret that it was not adopted today. I would liketo once again thank your delegation, Mr. President, forits sustained commitment. It is unfortunate that we havenot yet been able to reach consensus on a product thatdemonstrates our unity in the face of the situation.Regardless of whether a draft resolution is adopted,all parties must respect international humanitarian law,including the principles of distinction, proportionalityand precaution, as well as human rights. Internationalhumanitarian law takes into account legitimate securityand military necessity, and all of those rules musttherefore be respected without exception.Switzerland has made every effort to contribute tothe search for consensus on a Council decision in thisurgent situation. In that same spirit, we remain willingto support any new initiative that could lead to action bythe Council.Mr. Biang (Gabon) (spoke in French): The Councilfinds its credibility being put to the test this morning inthe face of the scale of the deadly violence in Israel andGaza and the extreme gravity of the crisis in the MiddleEast, whose shockwaves threaten peace and securitythroughout the region and beyond. As the SecurityCouncil, our mandate is to stop wars — if not preventthem — and to alleviate the human suffering resultingfrom such crises.This morning the Security Council has failed to liveup to its mandate. The rhetoric around this table has beenof no help or recourse to civilians in Gaza, who are beingcrushed beneath indiscriminate missile and rocket strikesand deprived of any means of survival. Once again,all things political and geopolitical have paralysed theCouncil’s capacity for action. The Council has offered noreaction to the horror and the cries of distress from thecivilian population in the face of one of the most seriouscrises in the Middle East. We are watching helplessly asthe tolls of death and destruction rise. The Council hasprovided no coherent response that gives a glimmer ofhope to the children, women, hostages and people of theworld who scrutinize our deliberations for their survivaland safety.My country voted in favour of the draft resolutionsubmitted by the Brazilian presidency (S/2023/773), aswell as the two proposed amendments (S/2023/775 andS/2023/776), because it is crucial and urgent to act, afterour firm condemnation of the barbaric attacks on Israelon 7 October and our recognition of Israel’s right to selfdefence while respecting the principle of proportionalityand distinction between combatants and civilians.It is our firm belief that given the magnitude of thisdeadly violence — which in just a few days has causedthousands of deaths and immeasurable humanitariandistress — we need to call for an immediate cessationof hostilities and for opening humanitarian corridors toalleviate the suffering of the civilian population. Ourposition has been clear since the Council’s first meetingfollowing the 7 October attack. The taking of hostagesis unacceptable, unjustifiable and indefensible, and wereiterate that they must be released without conditionsor blackmail.We regret that the Council was unable to transcendits divisions and fragmentation. We will certainly have todemonstrate greater responsibility in finding a solutionto the crisis in the Middle East, which is so chronicthat it puts our credibility in question and damages ourreputation. For Gabon, a two-State solution remainsthe only viable alternative. We can and must achieve itthrough good-faith diplomacy and negotiations and byovercoming the fears and vested interests that distanceus from our collective responsibility to maintain peaceand security in the region and beyond.Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): Letme start by thanking you, Mr. President, for your effortsin good faith to negotiate a draft resolution (S/2023/773).The draft resolution on which we have just voted rightlycondemns the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks onIsrael on 7 October. It also makes clear that all actionsin this situation must be taken in line with internationalhumanitarian law. It stresses the importance of ensuringhumanitarian access and the protection of civilians andemphasizes the Council’s shared priority of preventing aregional escalation of the conflict.18/10/2023 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question S/PV.944223-31062 9/10While we welcome and support the draft resolution’sattempts to lay out the Council’s view on those criticalpoints, it needed to be clearer on Israel’s inherent right toself-defence, in line with the Charter of the United Nations,after Hamas attacks killed more than 1,400 people andtook almost 200 more hostage. The draft resolutionalso ignored the fact that Hamas is using innocentPalestinian civilian as human shields. It has embeddeditself in civilian communities and made the Palestinianpeople its victims, too. For those reasons the UnitedKingdom abstained in the vote on the draft resolution.My Prime Minister has been clear that the UnitedKingdom stands with Israel in the face of those atrocities.We support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas,take back the hostages, deter further incursions andstrengthen its security for the long term. In doing so,we will continue to call on Israel to take all feasibleprecautions to avoid harming Palestinian civilians and toact in line with international humanitarian law. We willcontinue to work closely with Israel and our partners inthe region to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,to ensure that civilians are protected and have access tofood, water, medicine and shelter and to work towards thepeace and stability promised by the two-State solution.Mr. Pérez Loose (Ecuador) (spoke in Spanish):We voted in favour of the draft resolution proposedby the Brazilian presidency (S/2023/773), as did manyother members of the Security Council. It was theresult of a constructive and collective negotiatingprocess that included all Security Council members,and we are convinced that collective work and goodfaith negotiations are indispensable for effectivemultilateralism. They constitute the best pathwayforward to fulfil the responsibilities placed upon us.We are convinced that the Council cannot continue tobe silent in the face of events that are clearly a threatto international peace and security and that are alreadyhaving grave humanitarian consequences. The Brazilianpresidency’s draft resolution includes elements that arenecessary in the face of a situation that is worsening bythe minute. The credibility of the Council depends onour decisions at times like this. Ecuador abstained withregard to the amendments (S/2023/775 and S/2023/776),since the aspects therein were covered in the draftresolution. We regret the fact that once again the Councilwas unable to adopt a draft resolution due to the useof the veto. However, our efforts do not end here. Wewill do everything within our grasp to ensure that theCouncil can rapidly reach a decision and take action withregard to this conflict.On 24 September 1973, Ecuadorian Foreign MinisterAmbassador Antonio Lucio Paredes spoke before theGeneral Assembly and said:“it is equally necessary that the activities of thegreat Powers, that in one way or another support theparties to the conflict in the Middle East, must bedirected to finding solutions for the establishmentof constructive peace and not stand in the way ofpossible formulas of agreement and understanding.The conflict in the Middle East, because of itsexplosive nature, obliges the United Nations to tryunflaggingly to end it.” (A/PV.2124, paragraph 145)Those words remain valid even though they were saidmore than 50 years ago.Mr. Hoxha (Albania): We thank Brazil for theirefforts, their diligence in providing time and theircontinued engagement with all Security Councilmembers. The text came at a very critical moment, notonly because of the conflict between Israel and Hamasand the huge impact it is having on civilians, but also dueto the revived dangers for the region and beyond. Albaniavoted in favour of the draft resolution (S/2023/773)because the text responded to core objectives on theissue and to our coherent and principled position. Itstrongly and unequivocally condemned Hamas and itsindefensible terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October. Asthe Secretary-General called on Hamas to do last Sunday,it called for the immediate release of the hostages, whichshould remain a humanitarian priority. The hostagesshould be released immediately and unconditionally. Itprovided for the protection of civilians in accordancewith international humanitarian law and for the flow ofthe humanitarian aid to all those in need. It also supportsregional and international efforts for a solution on theground and embraces a diplomatic solution to the crisis.In that respect, we commend the very active engagementat every level by the United States and others in findingthe best solutions on the ground. While we supportedthe draft resolution, Albania reaffirms its position infull support of Israel and its right to self-defence, likeevery other nation under attack, which the text falls shortof mentioning.Mrs. Nusseibeh (United Arab Emirates): It isperhaps beyond me to put into words the abject horrorswe are witnessing in Gaza. That is why the United ArabEmirates fully supported the Security Council takingaction today, and why we still support the Counciltaking action on the situation. For more than 140 years,the Al Ahli Baptist Hospital has provided medical careS/PV.9442 The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 18/10/202310/10 23-31062and shelter for generations of Gazans. Yesterday morethan 500 Palestinians were killed in a strike that hit thehospital. Each passing hour of this ruinous war makes amockery of the principles of international humanitarianlaw. Gaza is laid to waste, and nobody feels safe. We callfor a full independent investigation into this incident andfor those who are responsible to be held accountable.As we verify information about the strikes, one factstill remains indisputable: more Palestinians have died inthis outbreak of violence than in any other in the historyof the conflict. In less than two weeks of bombardment,more than 3,500 Palestinians have been killed and morethan 14,000 injured. Will we continue to sit here andcompare the casualties on both sides? We support no lessthan a full humanitarian ceasefire. We do not ask for thisto be done at the expense of Israel’s security, but so thatpeople may tend to their wounded, bury their dead indignity and begin putting their lives back together. Thisceasefire is also crucial so that vital humanitarian aidmay enter and that aid workers can do their work safely.Hamas is indeed responsible for sparking this latestfire that is now engulfing the streets of Arab capitalsaround the region. We have openly called them out forthe heinous attacks on 7 October. But make no mistake:the kindling was already there, fuelled by decades ofviolent dehumanization, dispossession and despair. Thatis why we cannot, however convenient, lose sight of thecontext of this crisis, the longest-going occupation inthe world today of a people that do not wish to be ruledand have been let down again and again and again by allof us.The United Arab Emirates voted for this draftresolution (S/2023/773) not because it is a perfect text,but because it clearly states basic principles that must beupheld and that the Council is obliged to reinforce anduphold. We sincerely thank Brazil and its delegation fortheir efforts, and we remain hopeful that in the comingdays we can unite behind a draft resolution. We alsoremain hopeful that, in parallel, diplomatic efforts led bythe United States will help lead us all off the brink thatwe are edging towards.As I and others said yesterday, the current escalationmust drive all of us, but most importantly Israelis andPalestinians, to the urgent work of achieving the twoState solution. Let me be clear that the only alternativeto that is the violence we see right now. Three yearsago, my country established diplomatic relations withIsrael. The Abraham Accords are grounded in thesimple but enduring truth that peace and dialogue arebetter than violence and enmity. Along with our Israeliand American partners, we sought a new Middle Eastwhere coexistence and cooperation deliver prosperity,security and peace for all. The indiscriminate damagevisited upon the people of Gaza in pursuit of Israel’ssecurity risks extinguishing that hope. The region isalready contending with the spillover of this crisis, andthe enemies of peace are unapologetic about their aims.Let us not play into their hands.It has been said over the past few days that this crisisis a test for the international community and for theSecurity Council. That is true. Noa Argamani, a youngJewish woman abducted by Hamas, is in her secondyear of computer studies at Ben-Gurion University. Hermother is undergoing cancer treatment, and she is theironly child. In a conversation with a journalist about thehorror inflicted on this family, Yakov recalled that “inGaza, too, families are mourning their children”. Hedescribed Israelis and Palestinians as “two nations withone father” and added that “we can reach true peace, andI am praying for this to happen. Amen to the hostages’return”.Twenty-two-year-old Dunia Abu Rahma, anarchitectural student in Gaza, is one of the thousands ofcivilians fleeing south today. Last night, she told CNNthat, up until recently, all she had been thinking aboutwas her graduation project. Now all she thinks about ishow to be safe.The test is whether or not we sustain that hope forpeace that shines even through a parent’s unspeakableanguish and through a child’s aspiration to just be normallike the rest of us. We cannot doom millions of peopleto misery because diplomacy is hard. We must keeptrying — again and again and again. We must recognizethat, by continuing to fail to respond to the Palestinianpeople’s legitimate aspirations for a country in theirhomeland, we fuel this unrelenting cycle of violence andhatred. Let us not fail this test — for the sake of Israelis,for the sake of Palestinians and for the sake of all thepeoples of the Middle East.The meeting rose at 11.10 a.m.
