While the IDF is busy unearthing Hezbollah terrorist tunnels along the Lebanese border, the United States on Thursday is expected to seek official condemnation of the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ahead of the discussion on the Assembly floor, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley called on member states to support the American initiative. Haley, who is slated to resign her post early next year, noted that the U.S. was taking the proposed resolution "very seriously."
The American proposal condemns Hamas for firing rockets at Israel and demands that the terrorist organization cease all violence.
If the proposal is adopted, it would be the first time the U.N. General Assembly will have acted against Hamas, which has ruled over the Gaza Strip since 2007. Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly are not binding but do carry political weight and point to balances of power on the global stage.
The proposed resolution "condemns Hamas for the repeated firing of rockets at Israel and for incitement to violence that endangers civilians." The proposal demands that "Hamas and other terrorist organization, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, cease all provocations and violence."
In a letter to her U.N. colleagues, Haley warned against efforts to introduce amendments to the American proposal and urged them to reject such attempts.
"The United States takes the outcome of this vote very seriously. The resolution has been carefully crafted to address a specific problem, and it reflects consultations with many stakeholders to ensure balance.
"That is why we are asking that you not only vote in favor of the resolution but that you also vote against any amendments or other efforts to undermine adoption of the text," she added.
The U.S. and Israel expect Arab states to seek amendments to soften the language of the condemnation.
Thus far, the U.S. has successfully enlisted support from the European Union. While the EU has categorized Hamas as a terrorist organization, many member states do not implement a unified policy against Hamas.
The proposed resolution makes no mention of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The leader of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, has asked Arab countries to thwart the U.S. resolution. He also approached Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Qatari officials for assistance in the matter.
Haniyeh has received a pledge from Iran that it will do everything in its power to upend the American initiative.
