US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the United States has circulated a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages’ in Gaza.
The US is Israel’s principal ally in the council, and has been blocking all efforts to pass resolutions demanding an end to the hostilities that have now lasted nearly six months, objecting as recently as February to the use of the term ‘immediate’ in a draft submitted by Algeria.
The worldwide movement in support of Palestine, that has now erupted with force in the USA and Canada, has created a crisis for US imperialism.
It is now applying some pressure on Israel while simultaneously demanding Hamas release captives taken in their October 7 attacks.
Blinken told the media in Saudi Arabia: ‘Well, in fact, we actually have a resolution that we put forward right now that’s before the United Nations Security Council that does call for an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages, and we hope very much that countries will support that.’
A copy of the new draft resolution, as reported by Al Jazeera, reads: ‘The Security Council determines the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides, allow for the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance, and alleviate humanitarian suffering and towards that end unequivocally supports ongoing international diplomatic efforts to secure such a ceasefire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.’
Diplomatic Editor at Al Jazeera, James Bays said while the development ‘sounds very important’, the ‘exact language’ of the resolution is crucial, adding that what the US was actually demanding was ambiguous.
‘It’s certainly the strongest language yet, but is it what the rest of the Security Council wants in terms of a demand for an immediate ceasefire? Or is it just a resolution where the Security Council would say an immediate ceasefire is something that’s very important?’ he said.
No vote has yet been scheduled on this text.
A resolution’s adoption requires a minimum of nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members.
The draft’s timing suggests an attempt by the US to align the Security Council’s actions with the outcomes of the Doha talks, aiming to secure a ceasefire and hostages’ release before passing the resolution.
However, this approach has raised suspicions regarding the US’s intentions and the resolution’s effectiveness in immediately halting the ongoing carnage in Gaza.
What has caused this crisis for US imperialism is that the working people of the world are ready to take mass actions in support of the Palestinian people.
It is US imperialism that is now in a crisis!
