UN, December 23. /TASS/. The resolution put to the vote by the Arab countries in the UN Security Council was virtually watered down due to changes forced by the US, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said at the UN Security Council meeting.

"The draft that <…> was put to the vote, was initially, as we believe, rather soft <…>. Under the pressure of the US <…> each new version of the text lacked more and more important provisions," he said. "As a result the version that was put to the vote today, turned out extremely watered down, including in the OP4 on the mechanism that would be aimed at easing supplies of humanitarian aid to Gaza and ensuring its monitoring," the diplomat added.

The initial text of the resolution was significantly changed earlier because of the United States’ position. The key change concerns the idea of establishing a UN-controlled mechanism to monitor humanitarian supplies. It was replaced with a proposal to appoint a coordinator who is supposed to create a UN mechanism to step up humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Besides, the call for an immediate ceasefire was replaced with a call for urgent steps to ensure a sustainable truce.