According to diplomats in New York, France spoke about the draft resolution at a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council, the fourth in eight days. In coordination with Egypt and Jordan, France thus proposed Tuesday, May 18, a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, taking the risk of pointing the United States. During a meeting between French Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Egyptian Presidents Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and, by videoconference, King Abdullah II of Jordan, “the three countries agreed on three simple elements: the shooting must stop, the time has come for a ceasefire and the UN Security Council must take up the subject, ”via a resolution, the Elysee said.
On Tuesday evening, several member countries of the Security Council told Agence France-Presse that they had not yet received the French text, which would be “short and simple”, according to a diplomatic source. In addition to a call for a “cessation of hostilities”, he would ask “to grant humanitarian access to people who need it,” said another diplomat on condition of anonymity. Asked when France could ask for a vote in the Security Council, a diplomat, also speaking on condition of anonymity, replied: “the sooner the better”.
The Security Council blocked by the United States
France, which has been calling for a rapid ceasefire for several days, said it supports mediation led by Egypt. Emmanuel Macron and his Egyptian counterpart, present for two days in Paris for a summit on African economies, spoke at length on Monday on this subject and decided on Tuesday to seek Jordan’s support. The French president also met with his Tunisian counterpart, Kaïs Saied, whose country currently sits as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and who therefore represents the Arab world.
The French resolution proposal comes as the UN Security Council has been blocked for eight days by the United States on the adoption of a simple declaration on the conflict, according to diplomatic sources. Washington refused three proposed by China, Tunisia and Norway. During a closed-door meeting, “we heard the proposal made by our French colleague in the Council and, for China, we certainly support all efforts facilitating an end to the crisis and a return to peace in the Middle East. Chinese ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, current president of the Council in May, told reporters.
The Chinese ambassador clarified that the last text of the declaration proposed by his country, Norway and Tunisia, rejected again Monday by the United States, remained on the table of the Security Council. In addition to China’s explicit support for France’s draft resolution, Russia is also inclined to adopt the text, Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told Agence France-Presse.
A meeting between foreign ministers Thursday at the UN
At the end of 2017, a resolution was submitted to the UN Security Council on the status of Jerusalem after its recognition as the capital of Israel by former President Donald Trump. The United States had vetoed the text, which was then submitted to the General Assembly. It was then adopted by a large majority of the 193 member countries, with 128 states in favor, 9 against and 35 abstentions after very strong American pressure.
On Thursday, several foreign ministers of member countries are expected at the UN General Assembly for an urgent and in-person debate at 2 p.m. GMT on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which Secretary General Antonio Guterres is due to participate. Among the countries announced at the ministerial level are Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Tunisia or Algeria, which currently chairs the Group of Arab States at the UN.
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