UNITED NATIONS, November 16. /TASS/. Russia has serious doubts that provisions of the UN Security Council’s recently adopted resolution on the Middle East will be observed by parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said.
"The Council does not even demand humanitarian pauses, but only calls for them, which is a mockery of the Council's prerogative. Colleagues, it is a shame that the Council, which has a uniquely powerful toolkit, <…> could only manage to produce such a weak appeal. That reminds me of a saying about a ‘mountain in labor’ that gave birth to a mouse," he said during a UN Security Council meeting. "We have the most serious concerns that the provisions of the resolution will not be implemented on the ground."
"Some do not care about the effectiveness of the Council's response; the main thing is to show that the Council has adopted ‘something that is humanitarian,’" the Russian diplomat continued. "Who will consent to humanitarian pauses? Who will monitor and verify them, and what will be the consequences of non-compliance?"
The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution on the Middle East, authored by Malta and aimed at helping children in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone.
The document, obtained by TASS, has seven provisions. It contains a call for establishing extended humanitarian pauses and corridors in the Gaza Strip "for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access" for United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other impartial humanitarian organizations enabling them to deliver humanitarian aid, repair essential infrastructure and organize "urgent rescue and recovery efforts, including for missing children in damaged and destroyed buildings." The humanitarian pause should be long enough to conduct "evacuation of sick or injured children and their care givers."
Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory on October 7, when many Israelis living in the settlements near the border were killed and more than 200 people, including children, women and the elderly, were taken hostage. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.