The UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted on Monday a US-drafted resolution which endorses President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
The resolution authorizes the establishment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza and the formation of a transitional governing body, and charts the path for a possible Palestinian State.
However, the Palestinian movement Hamas voiced rejection of the UN resolution for “failing to meet Palestinians’ rights and demands.”
Resolution Adoption
On Monday, the UNSC members voted for the US-drafted resolution which set the stage for proceeding with the next phases of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The resolution passed by a vote of 13-0, with both Russia and China abstaining, reported BBC.
The resolution got the backing of Arab and Muslim countries that are willing to contribute troops to the ISF in Gaza, after the US revised it with stronger language on Palestinian self-determination.
Russia had circulated a counter resolution which excludes the creation of the Board of Peace or the immediate deployment of an international force in Gaza. However, Moscow did not use its veto against the US proposal.
UN Resolution for Gaza
The resolution approves the creation of the ISF, which will work with Israel, Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help maintain security and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to the UNSC members, the US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, said that the force would be “tasked with securing the area, supporting the demilitarization of Gaza, dismantling the terrorist infrastructure, removing weapons, and ensuring the safety of Palestinian civilians.”
The resolution also authorizes the formation of the “Board of Peace,” which will supervise and support a Palestinian technocratic, apolitical committee, oversee funding coordination, and establish the blueprint for Gaza’s reconstruction.
Furthermore, the resolution calls on the World Bank and other financial institutions to “facilitate and provide financial resources to support the reconstruction and development of Gaza as it would provide to its members, including the establishment of a dedicated trust fund for this purpose and governed by donors.”
Palestinian Statehood
The resolution adopts a stronger language on Palestinian self-determination, which leaves the door open to a possible Palestinian State. Upon the completion of the Palestinian Authority’s reforms and Gaza redevelopment, “the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” it says.
Waltz said that the resolution charted “a new course in the Middle East for Israelis and Palestinians and all the people of the region alike.”
Meanwhile, the Algerian Envoy, Amar Bendjama, speaking for the Arab bloc, said that the resolution sows the seeds of Palestinian sovereignty, according to the Guardian. “We submitted what we considered essential amendments to ensure balance and integrity in the text. Some of those proposals were taken on board,” he said.
“This resolution must be read in its entirety. Its annex is an integral part of it, and all parties must comply with it. It clearly affirms no annexation, no occupation, no forced displacement,” he added, referring to the annex to the resolution addressing Palestinian rights.
Moreover, the UN Secretary-General spokesperson emphasized that the resolution needed to “translate… into concrete and urgently needed steps on the ground” and lead to “a political process for the achievement of the two-state solution.”
International Backing
President Trump hailed the UNSC vote as historic. “This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!” he posted on Truth Social.
Trump also thanked the UN and UNSC members for adopting the resolution. He also thanked Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Indonesia, Türkiye, and Jordan for strongly backing the effort.
Similarly, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, praised the adoption of the resolution, saying that “there is finally a path forward. We must turn this momentum into concrete action.”
“I urge everyone to help transform the ceasefire into lasting peace & make the Middle East a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction,” he said.
Hamas Reaction
Following the vote, Hamas voiced rejection of the resolution for failing to respect Palestinians’ rights and demands. In a statement, the Palestinian movement said that the resolution “does not meet the level of our Palestinian people’s political and humanitarian demands and rights.”
“The resolution imposes an international guardianship over Gaza and promote a vision biased toward the occupation, which our people, its forces, and its constituent groups reject,” the statement noted.
“Assigning the international force with tasks and roles inside the Gaza Strip, including disarming the resistance, strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation,” it said.
On Sunday, Hamas and the Palestinian factions issued a statement rejecting the resolution as an attempt to impose an international mandate on Gaza. They demanded the exclusion of Israel from the ISF, saying that the force must be under the direct supervision of the UN. They also rejected any mention of the disarmament of Gaza in the resolution.
Russian & Chinese Positions
Russia and China – two UNSC veto-wielding members – abstained from the vote. In the light of this, Russia’s representative pointed out that it was important to ensure that resolution would not become “a death knell for the two-state solution,” according to CNN.
Meanwhile, a Chinese representative said that “it seems Palestine is barely visible in it, and the Palestinian sovereignty and ownership are not fully reflected.”
