UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Philemon Yang has said the international community’s demands are clear on Gaza, noting that 14 members of the UN Security Council voted for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave, only for the resolution to be blocked by the US, Al Jazeera reports.
The “horror in Gaza must end”, Yang said in a speech at the UNGA in New York.
“Once again, the Security Council is paralysed, unable to fulfil its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security,” he remarked.
The resolution, put forward by 10 non-permanent UNSC members, called for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in the 14-month conflict, while also demanding the release of captives held in Gaza.
Yang called for the UNGA to take the lead on resolving the conflict due to the paralysis in the UNSC, and said the issue cannot be fixed through “endless war and occupation”.