The United Nations is set to pass its first resolution condemning Hamas for its terrorism Thursday afternoon, The Times of Israel reported.
RT @USUN: This afternoon, the UN will vote on a US resolution that asks a simple question: do countries support Hamas' terrorism, or don't they? The UN has a chance to condemn Hamas for the first time. If the UN fails to do so, its lack of credibility will speak for itself.
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 6, 2018
The United States-sponsored resolution, described as U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley’s “parting gesture,” condemns Hamas for firing rockets into Israel, misusing civilian resources for military purposes, and demands an end to the violence perpetrated by Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups.
Passage of the resolution appears possible after the European Union acceded to Haley’s request to support the measure. Haaretz reported earlier this week that U.S. envoy Jason Greenblatt asked diplomats from Morocco, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Qatar to support the resolution.
While the resolution is expected to garner a majority of votes in the UN General Assembly, there is some question as to whether it will require two-thirds of the votes in favor to pass, or whether a simple majority will suffice in the 193-nation forum.
Beyond absurd- the Palestinian Authority, which hates Hamas, has cut payments to Gaza for months which increases the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, now tries to defend Hamas & terrorism by undermining a condemnation of Hamas at the UN. It’s time to speak the truth. https://t.co/YDmPSRMgyD
— Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) December 3, 2018
The EU discouraged the Palestinian Authority from adding amendments to the resolution to water down its language. Instead, a second resolution, this one condemning Israel, is expected to be passed. The EU reportedly will support both resolutions.
Earlier in the week, the PA had tried to derail the resolution. Greenblatt responded incredulously, writing, “Beyond absurd- the Palestinian Authority, which hates Hamas, has cut payments to Gaza for months which increases the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, now tries to defend Hamas & terrorism by undermining a condemnation of Hamas at the UN.”
“The resolution has been carefully crafted to address a specific problem, and it reflects consultations with many stakeholders to ensure balance,” Haley wrote in a letter to all UN diplomatic missions explaining that the U.S. will be taking the vote on the Hamas resolution very seriously.
“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.
In May, Haley had convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council following a barrage of more than 100 rockets and mortars fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into Israel. She blasted the council after it failed to agree on a condemnation of Hamas, saying, “Apparently, some Council members did not think Hamas launching rockets qualified as terrorism. The United States begs to differ.”
[Photo: U.S. Department of State / YouTube ]