US presses for approval of UN resolution on Gaza as Russia offers rival proposal

United Nations, Nov 15: The United States stepped up calls for UN consensus on its plan for Gaza as Russia circulated a rival proposal that would strip out reference to a transitional authority meant to be headed by President Donald Trump and asks the United Nations to lay out options for an international stabilization force.
The United States and eight countries that have played a role in reaching the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than two years of war in Gaza urged “swift adoption” of the latest US draft resolution by the 15-member UN Security Council. Just one of the eight is on the council – Pakistan.
The joint statement with Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey came after the US faced objections this week and made changes to its UN proposal to include more defined language on Palestinian self-determination, according to a UN diplomat briefed on the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations.
The latest US draft and the Russian proposal are both expected to be put up for a vote early next week, the diplomat said, adding that the American plan could garner the nine votes needed to pass, with Russia and China likely abstaining instead of using their vetoes.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s ceasefire plan “is the best path to peace in the Middle East” and said the US resolution will enable the effort to move forward.
The US resolution endorses Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which calls for a yet-to-be-established Board of Peace as a transitional authority that he would head. It also would authorise an international stabilization force in Gaza with a wide mandate, including overseeing the borders, providing security and demilitarising the territory.
Countries that have expressed interest in participating in the stabilization force have indicated that such a mandate is necessary for them to contribute troops.
After facing objections from some UN Security Council members that the resolution didn’t envision a future independent Palestinian state, the US made revisions.
It now says that after reforms to the Palestinian Authority are “faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
Russia’s rival draft resolution includes stronger language supporting Palestinian statehood alongside Israel and stressing that the West Bank and Gaza must be joined as a state under the Palestinian Authority. (AP)