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Geopolitical realities not reflected in UNSC, says UNGA President

Francis emphasised that the current structure, dating back to the post-1945 era, does not align with the present geopolitical realities….reports Asian Lite News

President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, said on Wednesday that reforming the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is “absolutely necessary,” adding that today’s “geopolitical realities” are not reflected in the council.

Francis emphasised that the current structure, dating back to the post-1945 era, does not align with the present geopolitical realities.

“Security Council of United Nations as it currently exists harks back to a period in world history which no longer exists. It was formed, in the immediate post-1945. Since then, the world has changed radically. The geopolitical realities of today are not reflected in the council,” he said.

Addressing claims of the urgent need for democratisation within the council, Francis pointed out that geopolitical dynamics have progressively impeded the council from making crucial decisions, often leading to the use of the veto by certain parties.

“And there are those who claim that the council is in urgent need of democratisation. The fact of the matter is that the council has in recent years been progressively unable to take the decisions necessary in order to system support, strengthening of international peace, and largely for geopolitical reason. The geopolitics, the global dynamics of the geopolitics gets imported into the council and that results invariably in the use of the veto by one or the other party,” he added.

He highlighted the resultant frustration not only in the General Assembly but also among the global population, emphasising the importance of reforms for the benefit of the 8 billion people watching.

“Often this causes immense frustration in the General Assembly, but also beyond, in a key, in a key area of concern for the UN as a whole. And that is the key constituency of the 8 billion people who are looking on. So reform of the council is absolutely necessary,” said the UNGA President.

Acknowledging that some nations may be hesitant to engage substantively in the reform process due to privilege, Francis underscored the woeful inadequacy of the existing formula.

“I don’t think that there is any member of the UN that would deny a need for reform of the council. Of course, there are those who are less anxious to engage substantively in the process of reform because if you are in a privileged position, you are not necessarily in a hurry to lose privilege,” he also said.

He asserted that reforms are inescapable for the multilateral system’s overall interest and the United Nations’ ability to fulfill its mandate. “But I think it is well appreciated that the old formula, the existing formula, is woefully inadequate and in the interest of the system as a whole, of the multilateral system, and of the ability of the United Nations to discharge its mandate, reform is inescapable.”

While expressing a lack of “exciting news” regarding the commencement of formal negotiations for reforms, Francis informed that ongoing discussions among members are focusing on potential elements of the reforms.  (ANI)

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Russia calls for emergency UNSC meeting after downing of plane

Screengrab of official footage shows that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during an online press conference on June 6, 2022.(Xinhua/IANS)

Videos of the crash posted on social media showed a plane falling from the sky in a snowy, rural area, and a massive ball of fire erupting where it supposedly hit the ground…reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon at the request of Moscow, which has accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military transport plane near the border with Ukraine on Wednesday.

The Russian military said its radar registered the launch of two missiles from Ukraine’s Kharkiv region which borders the Belgorod region. The ministry did not provide evidence for its claim and Ukraine has said it was looking into it but did not immediately provide any information. Instead, it cautioned against sharing “unverified information.”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia wanted to discuss the circumstances of a plane crash and said the full facts were still being verified:

“Ukrainian prisoners of war were transported to the Belgorod region in order to carry out the next exchange agreed between Moscow and Kyiv. Instead of this exchange taking place, the Ukrainian side attacked this plane with anti-aircraft missiles from the Kharkiv region, which became fatal.”

Since Russia’s invasion almost two years ago, Moscow and Kyiv have traded conflicting accusations, and establishing the facts has often been difficult, both because of the constraints of a war zone and because each side tightly controls information.

Lavrov also stated that Russia was not concerned if foreign media didn’t believe the details surrounding the crash and added that Russia had nothing to discuss with the United States.

He also called speculation that Russia intended to attack Europe “nonsense.”

Videos of the crash posted on social media showed a plane falling from the sky in a snowy, rural area, and a massive ball of fire erupting where it supposedly hit the ground.

Firefighters, ambulances and police rushed to the site in the Korochansky district of Belgorod, state news agency Tass reported, citing a local emergency services official.

The Russian military said the POWs were being flown to the region for a prisoner swap when the plane was downed at 11:15 am local time (8:15 am GMT).

The Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman, Andrii Yusov, confirmed that a prisoner swap was to happen Wednesday but was not going ahead. He said the agency is checking whether Ukrainian POWs were on the plane.

The plane was headed to the Belgorod region from the Chkalovsky airfield in the Moscow region, and the POW swap was scheduled to take place at the Kolotilovka crossing on the Russian-Ukrainian border, the statement read. The crossing is about 135 kilometres west of the village of Yablonovo, near where the plane fell.

Russian officials and lawmakers expressed outrage and questioned whether there should be further prisoner swaps. The most recent one, brokered by the United Arab Emirates, took place this month and was the biggest to date, with 230 Ukrainian POWs returning home and 248 Russians released. It was the first in almost five months and 49th since the war began.

Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and Russia’s Belgorod region have long been the focus of the fighting, especially involving airstrikes with missiles and drones.

Russia has largely ensured its air dominance during the war against Ukraine’s fleet of Soviet-era warplanes. But Russia has suffered a series of crashes that some observers have attributed to a higher number of flights amid the fighting in Ukraine.

At the same time, Kyiv has boasted of shooting down two Russian command and control planes, which would be a major feat for Ukraine if true. Cross-border attacks on Russia’s Belgorod region also have increased, with the deadliest one killing 25 people in December.

Shortly before the crash, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel that a “missile alert” had been triggered in the region and urged residents to take shelter.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said it was looking into the crash but did not immediately provide any information. Instead, it cautioned against sharing “unverified information.”

“We emphasise that the enemy is actively conducting information special operations against Ukraine aimed at destabilising Ukrainian society,” it said in a statement on Telegram.

The Russian Defence Ministry said a special military commission was headed to the crash site.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on his call with reporters that he could not comment on the crash because he did not have enough information about it.

The Il-76 is designed to carry up to 225 troops, cargo, military equipment and weapons, according to Russia’s military export agency.

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UNSC adopted 50 resolutions in 2023

UNSC members also issued 34 press statements. The council failed to adopt four sets of amendments…reports Asian Lite News

The UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted 50 resolutions and failed to adopt 10 draft ones in 2023, the world body said.

According to the Highlights of Security Council Practice 2023, the Council also adopted one amendment and six presidential statements and issued 18 notes by the council president and 22 letters by the president.

UNSC members also issued 34 press statements. The council failed to adopt four sets of amendments.

In comparison, the Security Council adopted a total of 54 resolutions and failed to adopt seven draft resolutions in 2022.

The publication says that in 2023, 35 out of 50 resolutions, or 70 percent were adopted unanimously compared to 66.7 per cent in 2022.

Five of the resolutions not adopted unanimously were related to sanctions, four to peacekeeping operations, and one to a special political mission.

Meanwhile, the remaining five concerned, respectively, the renewal of authorizations to intercept vessels off the Libyan coast suspected of migrant smuggling and human trafficking, establishment of the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, and the situation in the Middle Eastn.

According to the Highlights, in 2023, the UNSC failed to adopt 10 draft resolutions in connection with the situation in the Middle East, and specifically the cross-border mechanism for the provision of humanitarian aid into Syria, the situation in Mali, threats to international peace and security, and the situation in the Middle East,.

Of the 10 draft resolutions and four amendments not adopted in 2023, there were a total of seven instances of a veto cast on five draft resolutions and one amendment in connection with the situation in the Middle East and specifically the cross-border mechanism for the provision of humanitarian aid into Syria, the situation in Mali and the situation in the Middle East.

In 2023, the Council held 290 meetings, 271 of which were public and the remainder private.

For the first time in a decade, it held private meetings under the agenda items “The situation in the Middle East” and “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.

Also in 2023, the UNSC held 24 high-level meetings, in which two or more council members were represented at ministerial level or above; a similar trend was seen in 2022.

The topics of high-level meetings included both thematic and country-specific items. In the period from 2014 to 2023, the Council has adopted a total of 589 resolutions, out of which 494 or 84 percent were adopted unanimously. In this period, 42 vetoes were cast in connection with 32 draft resolutions and amendments.

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Timor-Leste President Backs India as UNSC Member

Not only India, but he also advocated for Indonesia, another Asian country, to become a permanent member of the UNSC….reports Asian Lite News

Extending his support for India, the President of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta, has said that he continues to advocate for India to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

In his address at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit today, Ramos-Horta said that when he was Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs in his previous position, he wholeheartedly supported India’s merited right to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Not only India, but he also advocated for Indonesia, another Asian country, to become a permanent member of the UNSC.

“In my previous position as the Senior Minister for Foreign Affairs, I wholeheartedly supported India’s meriting right to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council. I am continuing to advocate for India and for Indonesia, two Asian countries, to be permanent members of a reformed, expanded, and more representative UN Security Council,” the President of Timor-Leste said.

Further, he called the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit a forum, now renowned globally.

He said, “This forum, now renowned globally, has been a catalyst of business networking, knowledge sharing, strategic partnerships, inclusive growth and sustainable development. The state of Gujarat, driven by an inherent entrepreneurial spirit, has emerged as an industrial leader and a favourite destination for investment.”

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a “fruitful meeting” with President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

The meeting, marked by warm exchanges and a shared commitment to collaboration, underscored the deepening bond between “Delhi and Dili!”

The focal points of the meeting spanned a wide array of sectors. Development partnerships took centre stage, with both leaders expressing a mutual interest in fostering growth and progress in key areas. Notably, discussions revolved around energy, IT, FinTech, health, and capacity building, showcasing a commitment to shared advancements in these domains.

PM Modi noted that his meeting with Jose Ramos-Horta in Mahatma Mandir was even more special considering Mahatma Gandhi’s influence on Horta’s life and work.

Timor-Leste President had arrived in Gujarat on Monday to attend the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel welcomed him at the airport.

Meanwhile, the President of Mozambique also addressed the Summit here in Gandhinagar, Gujarat today.

President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique arrived in India on Tuesday. PM Modi expressed his delight at the meeting, highlighting the special nature of the meeting due to President Nyusi’s ties with Gujarat.

The encounter, laden with significance, was heightened by President Nyusi’s previous association with the state, having pursued a course at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

The discussions between the two leaders delved into a comprehensive range of subjects, underscoring the depth and breadth of the bilateral relationship.

This is the tenth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Gateway to the Future’.

The summit will celebrate ’20 Years of Vibrant Gujarat as the Summit of Success’. (ANI)

US Consul General Calls For Deeper US-India Ties

US Consul General in Mumbai Mike Hankey on Wednesday highlighted shared values between India and Washington and said that the partmership between the two countries is one of the most consequential in the world today.

Addressing a seminar titled ‘Shaping the Future: The Evolving India-US Bilateral Relationship’ at 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 at Mahatma Mandir, he expressed a keen interest in India’s developments in AI and the opportunity to test and evaluate these projects.

“The takeaway from this summit for the US is not just to sell products in India but to co-develop with Indian partners,” Hankey said.

The seminar focused on enhancing the partnership between India and the US in various sectors and saw the presence of global leaders and dignitaries.

Highlighting the shared values between the two nations, he remarked, “The US and India partnership is one of the most consequential in the world today. Though we are two different countries, our constitutions resonate with the common phrase, ‘We the People,’ emphasising that people are at the heart of our value systems.”

In a nod to the strong educational and cultural ties, Hankey revealed that “the Mumbai office has issued more student visas than any other office globally”.

He also pointed out the significant presence of the Gujarati community in the US, with 1.5 million people from Gujarat contributing to the robust Indo-US relations.”

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UNSC Condemns Houthi Attacks on Ships in Red Sea

The Council action came after three days of intense backstage negotiations while the situation in the Red Sea region was heating up…reports Asian Lite News

The UN Security Council (UNSC) has condemned the attacks on ships by Houthi rebels and demanded that they immediately end the assaults in the Red Sea region vital to commerce for India.

The resolution proposed by the US and Japan was adopted on Wednesday after China and Russia abstained on the resolution rather than vetoing it after three amendments introduced by Moscow failed to pass.

The resolution received 11 votes in the 15-member Council, with Algeria and Mozambique joining in the abstentions.

The Council action came after three days of intense backstage negotiations while the situation in the Red Sea region was heating up.

Hours before the resolution was passed, the US and Britain said that a joint operation neutralised one of the biggest attacks by the Houthis using missiles and drones.

US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: “There have been dozens of attacks since November on shipping in the Red Sea, which have affected more than 40 different countries.”

“If the Houthi attacks continue, there will be consequences,” she warned.

The resolution said that the Houthi militia’s attacks “undermine navigational rights and freedoms, as well as regional peace and security”, and it should “immediately cease all attacks, which impede global commerce and navigational rights and freedoms as well as regional peace”.

Taking aim at Iran, but without naming it, the resolution also condemned the arming of the Houthis in contravention of Council embargo.

It also called for the immediate release of the ship Galaxy Leader, which was seized by Houthi commandos in November last year.

The ship’s ownership is linked to an Israeli, but is operated by a Japanese company with an international crew under Bahama’s flag.

The resolution did not attach any penalties for disobeying the Council’s demand.

Russia and China abstaining on on resolution rather than sinking, it shows the universal concern about the shipping route leading to and from the Suez Canal, forming the shorter route to and from Asia, the East Coast of Africa and the Gulf region to Europe and the Americas.

To avoid the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, ships would have to make a 3,000-nautical-mile detour around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa’s Southern tip adding more than a week to the journey.

Thomas-Greenfield said the attacks “are an economic threat, increasing the prices people pay for food, medicine, and energy”.

Echoing Washington’s concerns, China’s Permanent Representative Zhang Jun said that unimpeded access to the Red Sea is essential for “a stable and smooth global supply chain and international trade order”.

The Houthi militia that is backed by Iran has asserted that it was disrupting shipping in the region in protest against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

One of Russia’s amendments wanted the resolution to mention the link to the Gaza conflict.

Although Britain and the US voted against the amendments, their actions did not become vetoes because with most countries abstaining the drafts did not meet the threshold of nine votes required to pass in which case a veto would have taken effect.

Thomas-Greenfield said that the Houthis, who were “intoxicated” with power did not really care about Gaza and were only using it as a pretext for their attacks on ships few of which have anything to do with Israel.

Russia’s Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia said that the “real goals” of the resolution were not to ensure the security of navigation in the Red Sea but “to legitimise existing actions of this coalition” of the US and its allies and get the Council’s “open-ended blessing” for them.

He was referring to ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ launched by the US and its allies to protect ships in the region.

Although India is not a part of the operation, its navy is also involved in safeguarding ships in the Red Sea region.

The Indian Navy said it was reinforcing its presence in the North/Central Arabian Sea region close to the mouth of the Red Sea, “surging ships and aircraft to deter attacks on international shipping in the Western Indian Ocean Region”.

“Indian Navy is closely monitoring overall situation in coordination with national maritime agencies and remains committed towards ensuring safety of merchant shipping and seafarers in the region,” it said in a statement last week.

Last week INS Chennai was involved in an operation to secure a ship that came under attack.

ALSO READ-Houthis ignore US’ warning, detonate drone boat in Red Sea

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Russia bats for India’s permanent seat at UNSC

Moscow, Dec 27 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrives to address a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

Jaishankar says ties between New Delhi and Moscow remains very steady, and strong and is based on strategic convergence on geopolitical interests…reports Asian Lite News

Hailing the G20 communique under New Delhi’s presidency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed Moscow’s support for India’s candidacy as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

He said that the New Delhi Declaration in September this year perfectly reflected the balance of interest of global powers.

“The G20 Summit in New Delhi that took place last year was truly a triumph for Indian foreign policy, the triumph for multilateral diplomacy, and it was possible primarily due to the chairmanship of G20. It didn’t allow the final communique to be one-sided, it reflects the perfect balance of interest,” Lavrov said while addressing the joint press conference with EAM Jaishankar in Moscow on Wednesday.

“This is an example of how G20 and other groups should be working and…this includes the UN and the Security Council. We support India’s candidacy for the Security Council,” he added.

He also said that taking note of multilateral cooperation, Russia supports India’s aspiration as a permanent UNSC member along with representatives of Latin America and Africa.

Speaking on the bilateral meeting between the two leaders, the Russian Foreign Minister further said that the two leaders discussed energy cooperation and piloted space programmes.

“We reaffirmed our aspiration to strengthen energy cooperation. This is a strategic area of our relations. We agreed on the expansion of exports of hydrocarbons to the Indian market as well as cooperation for peaceful use of nuclear energy. First of all, the implementation of the Karnakulam Nuclear Plant project. This is our practical contribution to India’s activities and work to satisfy its needs for clean and safe energy produced in the country,” Lavrov said.

He added, “We have a positive outlook for cooperation in piloted space programmes, as well as rocket engines, satellite navigation systems. We have also touched upon regional and international affairs”.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his address, appreciated the India-Russia trade, which is at an all-time high, and said that the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union will resume in January next year.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic union of five post-Soviet states located in Eurasia. The five member nations are; Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

He further said that the relationship between New Delhi and Moscow remains very steady, and strong and is based on strategic convergence on geopolitical interests.

Putin invites Modi

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year. “We will be glad to see our friend, Prime Minister Modi in Russia,” Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Kremlin on Wednesday.

During PM Modi’s visit, “We will be able to discuss all the relevant, current issues and talk to the prospects of the Russian and Indian relationship,” Putin added.

Jaishankar also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

During a joint media appearance, Jaishankar expressed confidence that Prime Minister Modi and President Putin would meet for their annual summit next year, highlighting the frequent contact between the two leaders.

The summit between the Indian Prime Minister and the Russian President is a key institutional dialogue mechanism in their strategic partnership, with 21 annual summits having taken place alternately in India and Russia.

The most recent summit occurred in New Delhi in December 2021.

Putin mentioned the growing trade turnover between Russia and India, attributing it to increases in crude oil and high technology areas. He noted the steady and higher growth rate in trade turnover for the second consecutive year.

Jaishankar is on a five-day Russia visit from December 25 to 29 as a part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and held discussions on a wide range of global issues including the Indo-Pacific, the Ukraine conflict as well as Gaza.

The meeting resulted in the signing of significant agreements related to the construction of power-generating units at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

The two leaders also discussed progress in economic cooperation, connectivity efforts, military-technical cooperation and people-to-people exchange. Jaishankar noted that ties between India and Russia reflect geopolitical realities, strategic convergence and mutual benefit.

In a post shared on X, Jaishankar stated, “A wide ranging and useful meeting with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia. As strategic partners, discussed the international situation and contemporary issues. Exchanged views on Indo-Pacific, the Ukraine conflict, the Gaza situation, Afghanistan and Central Asia, BRICS, SCO, G20 and the UN. Noted the progress in our economic cooperation, energy trade, connectivity efforts, military-technical cooperation and people to people exchanges. Signed Protocol on Consultations for the period 2024-28. India-Russia relations reflect geopolitical realities, strategic convergence and mutual benefit.” (ANI)

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UNSC acts to boost Gaza aid after US abstains

The remaining council members voted for the resolution except for Russia which also abstained….reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a toned-down bid to boost humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and called for urgent steps “to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities” after a week of vote delays and intense negotiations to avoid a veto by the United States.

Amid global outrage over a rising Gaza death toll in 11 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, the US abstained to allow the 15-member council to adopt a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates.

The remaining council members voted for the resolution except for Russia which also abstained.

Following high-level negotiations to win over Washington, the resolution no longer dilutes Israel’s control over all aid deliveries to 2.3 million people in Gaza. Israel monitors the limited aid deliveries to Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.

But a weakening of language on a cessation of hostilities frustrated several council members — including veto power Russia — and Arab and Organization of Islamic Cooperation states, some of which, diplomats said, view it as approval for Israel to further act against Hamas for a deadly Oct. 7 attack.

The adopted resolution “calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.” The initial draft had called for “an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities” to allow aid access.

Earlier this month the 193-member UN General Assembly demanded a humanitarian cease-fire, with 153 states voting in favor of the move that had been vetoed by the United States in the Security Council days earlier.

The US and Israel oppose a cease-fire, believing it would only benefit Hamas. Washington instead supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and free hostages taken by Hamas.

Last month the United States abstained to allow the Security Council to call for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in fighting for a “sufficient number of days” to allow aid access. The move came after four unsuccessful attempts to take action.

Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from UN action and has already twice vetoed Security Council action since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 people taken hostage.

Israel has retaliated against Hamas by bombarding Gaza from the air, imposing a siege and launching a ground offensive. Some 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Most people in Gaza have been driven from their homes and UN officials have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. The World Food Programme says half of Gaza’s population is starving and only 10 percent of the food required has entered Gaza since Oct. 7.

A key sticking point during negotiations on the resolution adopted on Friday had been an initial proposal for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish a mechanism in Gaza to monitor aid from countries not party to the war.

A toned-down compromise was reached to instead ask Guterres to appoint a senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator to establish a UN mechanism for accelerating aid to Gaza through states that are not party to the conflict.

The coordinator would also have responsibility “for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature” of all the aid.

The council also called for the warring parties “to adhere to international humanitarian law and … deplores all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism.”

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UNSC Vote on Gaza Delayed Again

The vote was originally scheduled for Monday but was then delayed until Tuesday evening to allow more time for negotiations….reports Asian Lite News

A UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on a draft resolution for additional humanitarian aid into Gaza has been delayed again until Wednesday in an effort to to allow negotiations to continue, media reports said.

According to the BBC, the new time is Wednesday at around 4 p.m. GMT (9.30 p.m. IST) after the Council’s meeting on Afghanistan.

The vote was originally scheduled for Monday but was then delayed until Tuesday evening to allow more time for negotiations.

The draft resolution, authored by the United Arab Emirates, calls for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip” and demands the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”, Xinhua news agency reported.

For the draft to pass in the Security Council, it requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes from any of the permanent members, namely the US, France, China, Britain, and Russia.

“Delaying the vote to Wednesday suggests agreement hasn’t yet been reached on language that could gain a ‘yes’ vote from the US, or at least an abstention, which would allow the measure to pass,” CNN said in a report citing sources.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby that “we’re still working through the modalities of the resolution”.

“It’s important for us that the rest of the world understand what’s at stake here and what Hamas did on the 7th of October and how Israel has a right to defend itself against those threats,” he added.

Earlier this month, the US vetoed a draft resolution at the Security Council demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Subsequently, the UN General Assembly called for a ceasefire last week, with a significant majority voting in favour.

UN officials and aid agencies have raised alarms about “a humanitarian crisis” in Gaza, including mass starvation and disease, as a vast majority of the region’s 2.3 million people have been displaced during the ongoing two-month conflict.

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UNSC Vote on Gaza Aid Delayed Again

The vote was originally scheduled for Monday but was then delayed until Tuesday evening to allow more time for negotiations…reports Asian Lite News

A UN Security Council (UNSC) vote on a draft resolution for additional humanitarian aid into Gaza has been delayed again until Wednesday in an effort to to allow negotiations to continue, media reports said.

According to the BBC, the new time is Wednesday at around 4 p.m. GMT (9.30 p.m. IST) after the Council’s meeting on Afghanistan.

The vote was originally scheduled for Monday but was then delayed until Tuesday evening to allow more time for negotiations.

The draft resolution, authored by the United Arab Emirates, calls for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip” and demands the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”, Xinhua news agency reported.

For the draft to pass in the Security Council, it requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from any of the permanent members, namely the USt, France, China, Britain, and Russia.

“Delaying the vote to Wednesday suggests agreement hasn’t yet been reached on language that could gain a ‘yes’ vote from the US, or at least an abstention, which would allow the measure to pass,” CNN said in a report citing sources.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby that “we’re still working through the modalities of the resolution”.

“It’s important for us that the rest of the world understand what’s at stake here and what Hamas did on the 7th of October and how Israel has a right to defend itself against those threats,” he added.

Earlier this month, the US vetoed a draft resolution at the Security Council demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Subsequently, the UN General Assembly called for a ceasefire last week, with a significant majority voting in favour.

UN officials and aid agencies have raised alarms about “a humanitarian crisis” in Gaza, including mass starvation and disease, as a vast majority of the region’s 2.3 million people have been displaced during the ongoing two-month conflict.

ALSO READ-Israeli President open to 2nd ceasefire in Gaza

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Facing pressure, UNSC to vote on new Gaza ceasefire  

The new draft, drawn up by UAE, calls for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza Strip”…reports Asian Lite News

The United Nations Security Council will vote Monday on a new resolution calling for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities” in Gaza, as Washington exhibits growing impatience with key ally Israel.

The vote comes days after the United States blocked a previous Security Council resolution that would have called for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in the battered Palestinian territory, where Israel continues its deadly strikes in retaliation for Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7.

But in the General Assembly, the UN’s 193 members voted overwhelmingly for a ceasefire, with 153 in favor — exceeding the 140 or so countries that have routinely backed resolutions condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The upcoming Security Council resolution was introduced by Arab countries that had come away from last Tuesday’s General Assembly vote bolstered by such broad international support, though the latest text’s fate remains uncertain.

The new draft, drawn up by the United Arab Emirates, calls for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.”

It also affirms support for a two-state solution in the region and “stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”

In a move criticized by Israel and the United States, the draft does not explicitly name Hamas, though it does call for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and condemns “all indiscriminate attacks against civilians.”

The Security Council has faced sharp international opprobrium as it has managed to pass only one resolution on Gaza since the start of the war, in which the 15-member body called for “humanitarian pauses” — after five other resolutions were rejected, including two thanks to American vetoes.

According to diplomatic sources, negotiations on the new text continued Sunday in an effort to avoid another impasse, days after US President Joe Biden warned that Israel was at risk of losing international support due to its “indiscriminate” bombing of Gaza.

“The United States should now back those words by acting at the United Nations Security Council to pressure Israel, as well as Palestinian armed groups, to comply with international humanitarian law and protect civilians,” Louis Charbonneau, the UN director at Human Rights Watch said, telling Washington: “Don’t use vetoes to block resolutions aimed at stopping mass atrocities.”

Security Council resolutions are technically binding, but are often ignored by the countries involved.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, some 18,800 people, mostly civilians and children, have died since Israeli bombardment began in Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack, which Israel said left 1,139 people dead, also mostly civilians, and saw some 250 people kidnapped.

“In the face of such atrocities, there is only one moral position, one defensible position: Ceasefire now, ceasefire now, ceasefire now,” Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Friday.

But his Israel counterpart Gilad Erdan countered: “Calling for a ceasefire now, while (hostages) are still being held, is the most immoral thing to do.”

Israeli forces uncover biggest Hamas tunnel

Amid the ongoing tensions, a massive tunnel system was discovered by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Sunday, which the IDF claimed to be Hamas’ biggest tunnel system, the construction of which was led by Mohammad Sinwar, brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

It is pertinent to note that the tunnel has a length of over four kilometers (2.5 miles), and is located only 400 meters from the Erez Crossing, said the IDF.

In a post on X, IDF also said that Gazans used the giant tunnel on a daily basis to enter Israel for work and medical treatment in Israeli hospitals.

“EXPOSED: The biggest Hamas tunnel discovered. This massive tunnel system branches out and spans well over four kilometers (2.5 miles). Its entrance is located only 400 meters (1,310 feet) from the Erez Crossing–used by Gazans on a daily basis to enter Israel for work and medical treatment in Israeli hospitals,” read IDF’s latest post on X.

“This tunnel system was a project led by Mohammad Sinwar, the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and the commander of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Battalion,” it added.

The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.

Israel has characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas’ infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the IDF said it has carried out strikes against some 200 Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip over the past day, according to The Times of Israel.

It said that the Paratroopers Brigade raided several apartments used by Hamas in Shejaiya and found firearms, explosive devices, and other military equipment. The IDF said the troops discovered a 15-meter-long tunnel, which was later destroyed in an airstrike.

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