UK statement following the UN General Assembly vote on
the Jordanian draft resolution on the situation in Gaza, Friday
27 October 2023.
We welcome the draft’s call for all parties to respect
International Humanitarian Law, including the protection of
civilians, for the immediate release of hostages and for full and
sustained humanitarian access.
These are UK priorities and we have been working tirelessly with
partners to achieve these on the ground, including the UK Prime
Minister and Foreign Secretary’s engagements with Egypt to open
the Rafah crossing to get aid to the Palestinian people.
We are proud to have pledged an additional $37 million in UK aid
to help civilians in Gaza since the beginning of the crisis. The
UK Prime Minister has been clear that we recognise the need for
humanitarian pauses to deliver this aid safely and in a sustained
way.
We also welcome the draft’s emphasis on preventing regional
escalation of the conflict. It is in no-one’s interest for this
conflict to spread.
However, we are deeply disappointed with the draft’s omission of
an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attacks that
killed over 1,400 people and took over 200 hostages last week.
This should not be controversial.
That is why we voted in favour of the Canadian amendment which
would have corrected this.
But we cannot vote for a resolution that is silent on the largest
terror attack in Israel’s history.
Hamas has embedded itself in civilian populations, is still
holding civilians hostage, and firing rockets at Israel while
using Palestinians as human shields. It is clear that Israel is
under attack by terrorists and is entitled under
international law to defend itself. Any resolution on the
situation in Gaza and Israel should be unequivocal on that too.
This is why we abstained on this resolution.
We will continue to work closely with Israel, Palestine, the UN
and our partners in the region to respond to the humanitarian
crisis in Gaza. To ensure that civilians are protected and
have access to food, water, medicine, and shelter. And to
work towards the peace and stability which can only be achieved
by working towards a sustainable Two State Solution.
