Agencies, United Nations
The United Nations Security Council has failed to adopt the draft resolution that reflects regret among the body’s members about “recent decisions regarding the status of Jerusalem,” with a negative vote by the United States.
The text, tabled by Egypt on Monday, reiterated the United Nations’ position on Jerusalem and would have affirmed “that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.”
The text would also have called on all States “to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem.”A negative vote – or veto – from one of the Council’s five permanent members – China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States – blocks passage of a resolution.
Therefore, the draft was rejected despite support from the other four permanent members and from the 10 non-permanent members.
The vote followed a briefing by Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace process, who said that the Israel-Palestinian conflict has not seen significant positive moves towards peace during the reporting period from 20 September to 18 December.
He said that the security situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has become more tense in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s decision on 6 December to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, citing an increase in incidents, notably rockets fired from Gaza and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.
“None of the developments on the ground can be divorced from the broader context in which they are happening: uncertainties about the future of the peace process; unilateral actions that undermine the two-state solution; occupation; and violence,” Mr Mladenov told the Council.
The Special Coordinator’s briefing mainly focused on the status of implementation of Security Council resolution 2334, which was adopted in December 2016 by 14 votes, with the US abstaining.
