The United States has been circulating a revised version of its draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council members Thursday that could force Israel and Hamas to abide by the Biden administration's three-phased ceasefire plan, which Israel has agreed to in principle. In contrast to the previous draft, the new version contains a change that is unfavorable from Israel's perspective – it includes a call for both parties to fully implement the terms of the deal without delay and without conditions.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States circulated a draft resolution to the 14 other council members to back the proposal. "Numerous leaders and governments, including in the region, have endorsed this plan and we call on the Security Council to join them in calling for implementation of this deal without delay and without further conditions," she said in a statement.
Today, the United States circulated a new UN Security Council resolution supporting the proposal now on the table to end the fighting in Gaza through a ceasefire and a hostage deal.
Numerous leaders and governments, including in the region, have endorsed this plan – and we call…
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) June 3, 2024
The brief draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, would welcome the May 31 deal announced by Biden and call on Hamas "to accept it fully and implement its terms without delay and without condition." Hamas has said it views the proposal "positively" but according to Arab media it has rejected it because it does not include a promise to a permanent cessation of the Israeli activities.
The draft would also reiterate the council's "unwavering commitment" to a two-state solution, and stress the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.
This move further demonstrates the heavy pressure exerted by US President Joe Biden to have the plan put in motion. He hopes it will bring about a complete end to the hostilities and also impact other arenas. The proposal draft emphasizes the importance of the diplomatic efforts of the mediating countries – Egypt, Qatar, and the United States – aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza, releasing all captives, and increasing humanitarian aid.
The draft resolution details the three stages that Biden outlined in his speech: The first stage involves a six-week temporary ceasefire, during which captives including women, the elderly, and the wounded would be released.
The second stage involves a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of the IDF from the strip, and the release of all remaining captives. To reach the second stage, negotiations that would begin during the first stage must be completed, and as long as they continue, the temporary ceasefire would remain in effect. The third stage includes a multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the bodies of captives.
Israel's delegation at the UN has been alarmed by the new draft resolution, in part because of a clause stating that council members "emphasize the importance of the parties' adherence to the terms of this [Biden] plan once agreed upon and call on all member dtates and the United Nations to support its implementation. The council rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including actions aimed at restricting its area through the de facto or de jure establishment of buffer zones." In essence, the US seeks the Security Council's endorsement to the Biden plan. If Hamas agrees, Israel would not be able to rely on an American veto going forward.
