UN, October 22. /TASS/: The United States has submitted with the United Nations Security Council a draft resolution on the Middle East settlement, a source in the global organization told TASS.
According to the wording of the document obtained by TASS, the US draft resolution does not stipulate a call for the ceasefire. There are provisions in the document condemning the Hamas attack, urging the release of hostages and supporting Israel's right to defend itself.
The US resolution also calls for the full respect of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, and recognizes the efforts of Qatar and other countries that led to the release of two hostages on October 20, who had been captured by Hamas.
On October 18, the United States vetoed Brazil’s draft resolution on the Middle East. Russia abstained from voting in light of the UN Security Council’s rejection of its suggested amendments to the document. The UK also abstained, while the remaining 12 members of the UN Security Council voted in favor of the resolution.
On October 17, the UN Security Council did not adopt the Russia-drafted resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as five countries voted in favor. Thus, the resolution did not receive enough votes to pass.
Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip.
Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering rocket attacks on Gaza as well as some districts in Lebanon and Syria.
