The U.N. General Assembly voted on Wednesday in favor of a Palestinian-backed resolution condemning Israel for excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians, overriding an amendment proposed by the United States to censure Hamas for rocket attacks against Israel and for diverting aid resources for terrorist purposes.
The U.S. amendment initially passed by a vote of 62-58, with 42 abstentions, but it was ultimately rejected when General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak declared that under a General Assembly rule, a two-thirds majority was needed.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley appealed the decision, citing another rule that only a majority vote is required to pass an amendment.
After a short break, Lajcak put the U.S. appeal to a vote. The U.S. narrowly lost that vote 66-73, with 26 abstentions.
The General Assembly adopted the original version of the resolution with 120 votes in favor, eight against, and 45 abstentions. It had been put forward by Algeria, Turkey and the Palestinians after the United States vetoed a similar resolution in the 15-member U.N. Security Council earlier this month.
More than 120 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza border riots since March 30. The largest number of deaths occurred on May 14, and Hamas confirmed that most of the casualties were Hamas operatives.
While the General Assembly text condemned the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli civilian areas, it did not mention Hamas, which rules Gaza and is responsible for the rocket fire, nor did it mention the Palestinian riots on the Gaza border.
"The nature of this resolution clearly demonstrates that politics is driving the day," Haley told the General Assembly before the vote.
"It is totally one-sided. It makes not one mention of the Hamas terrorists who routinely initiate the violence in Gaza."
Algerian Ambassador Sabri Boukadoum, representing Arab nations, sought to block a vote on the U.S. amendment, saying it was not relevant to the resolution and also undermined reconciliation efforts between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah as well as the "remote prospects" of reviving peace negotiations with Israel.
Before the vote, Israel's Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, told the assembly, "By supporting this resolution you are colluding with a terrorist organization; by supporting this resolution you are empowering Hamas."
Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Solomon Islands and Togo joined Israel and the United States in voting against the resolution.
The resolution also calls on U.N. chief Antonio Guterres to recommend an "international protection mechanism" for the Palestinian territories.
"We need protection of our civilian population," Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour told the General Assembly before the vote.
He said the resolution was "intended to contribute to a de-escalation of the volatile situation."
"We cannot remain silent in the face of the most violent crimes and human rights violations being systematically perpetrated against our people," Mansour said.
The resolution calls on Guterres to report back within 60 days on proposals "on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation, including ... recommendations regarding an international protection mechanism."
