UNGA calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Pakistan warns of Israel’s goal to erase Palestine

UNITED NATIONS (APP) - The UN General Assembly Tuesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, where Israel is waging a war against Palestinians that has left 18,000 martyrs, with Pakistan warning that Tel Aviv’s aim was to 'erase not only a people but also the entire idea of Palestine.'

Cheers and clapping echoed around the iconic General Assembly chamber in New York as the emergency vote was announced.

A thumping majority of 153 member states out of the 193 total membership backed the resolution, with only 10 including the US, Israel and Austria voting against, and 23 – including the UK and Germany – abstaining. Diplomats noted United States’ increasing isolation on the world stage as Washington attempts to shield Israel, its closest ally. That situation led President Joe Biden to warn that Israel is losing support as it carries on its deadly bombardment of Gaza with a high civilian toll.

The 100-power resolution, sponsored by many Arab and OIC countries, also reiterated the General Assembly’s demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, 'notably with regard to the protection of civilians'.

Prior to the resolution, two amendments — from the US and Austria — making specific reference to Hamas were voted down by members, after a stirring speech by Pakistani Ambassador Munir Akram.

The Pakistani envoy decried the deadly Israeli attacks as 'one-sided slaughter' and said Israel was more to blame for the conflict than Hamas. “When you deny people freedom and dignity when you humiliate and trap them in an open-air prison, where you kill them as if they were beasts, they become very angry and they do to others what was done to them,” he said.

Ambassador Akram said it was a matter of 'deep regret, that some friends of Israel have introduced amendments to once again condemn only one side but exonerate the other.' He said he was confident that most members states will not agree to place blame only on Hamas, but blame Israel for their role in the bombardment of the 'open air prison' that is Gaza.

“If Hamas is named and not Israel, you will provide a justification to the Israeli war machine to continue its roulette wheel of death,” the Pakistani envoy said as delegates from around the world listened to him with rapt attention. With the end of last week’s pause in Israeli attacks, he said, “the skies over Gaza are filled with projectiles of deaths, attack helicopters, drones, artillery shells, tank shells, mortars, bombs, missiles.”

“Israel has dropped 25,000 tons of explosives on Gaza, nearly the equivalent of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” Ambassador Akram told the General Assembly. “Israel’s goal is not only to erase Hamas. This is a war against the Palestinian people. Israel’s goal is to erase not only a people but also the entire idea of Palestine.

“It’s campaign is a carbon copy of the massive campaigns of racial slaughter by other settler colonial regimes in history.”

A loud and sustained applause rang out in the gold-and-blue hall as Ambassador Akram concluded his remarks delivered in support of the resolution. After the resounding vote, Arab and OIC Ambassadors gathered before UN corps of correspondents where Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansoor paid glowing tributes to Ambassador Akram’s diplomatic skills and advocacy of the Palestinian cause. “My brother, Munir Akram, who came from Qatar last night didn’t hesitate to be our lawyer again and to argue the way he had in his own brilliant way of dealing with two amendments,” the Palestinian envoy told reporters.

Ambassador Akram also spoke at the stakeout, reaffirming Pakistan’s unflinching support to Palestinian people in their just struggle for the right to self-determination. As the emergency session opened, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis said the resolution was an important step toward putting 'an end to the bloodshed' in Gaza.

“Right now, what we are seeing is an onslaught on civilians, the breakdown of humanitarian assistance and profound disrespect for international law,” Francis said. “Even war has rules, and it is imperative we prevent any deviation from these principles and values.”