US Inserted ‘Dangerous Element’ in UN Res. Allowing Israel to Ethnically Cleanse Gaza – Nebenzia

December 22, 2023

Russia's permanent representative at the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya. (Photo: via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The United States included a ‘dangerous element’ in the draft UNSC resolution that would allow Israel to cleanse the Gaza Strip, Russia’s UN Ambassador said. 

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, Vasily Nebenzia, confirmed that the United States included a dangerous element in the draft resolution it adopted that would allow Israel to cleanse the Gaza Strip, RT Arabic website reported.

“The efforts of the US delegation have allowed the inclusion of a dangerous element on Gaza, instead of an immediate ceasefire, there has been discussion to create favorable conditions for combat operations, this is the height of cruelty and madness,” Nebenzia was quoted by RT as saying.

The Russian representative pointed out that with this decision, 

“The Israeli armed forces will have a full margin of action to cleanse the Strip, just as they do, whoever votes on the resolution will be complicit and responsible for the destruction of Gaza.”

2722 Approved

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling on Israel and Hamas to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip, and also calling on the UN secretary-general to appoint a coordinator for the delivery of such aid.

After several days of delay, the UNSC passed Resolution 2722, calling for “unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip”, the UN website reported.

Nebenzia had accused Washington of “dragging out the negotiating process, deviating from the normal transparent work”.

According to Nebenzia, the US has,

“resorted to their favored tactic of gross pressure, blackmail, twisting arms, so that at the last minute, they can present the Security Council members with an ultimatum, either the Council adopts a text that is convenient for Washington or the US will block the adoption of any product.”

The Russia Today news report, however, did not indicate precisely what part of the resolution was referenced as ‘dangerous’ by Nebenzia. 

News reports indicated that top US officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan were directly involved in the negotiations that preceded the vote.

(The Palestine Chronicle)