US calls for UN Security Council support for Gaza peace resolution, warning of consequences for Palestinians if agreement isn’t reached.
UNITED NATIONS: The United States has urged the UN Security Council to unite behind a draft resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
A US mission spokesperson warned that failure to reach agreement could have “grave” consequences for Palestinians in Gaza.
“The ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed,” the spokesperson stated.
They described this as an “historic moment to pave a path towards enduring peace in the Middle East.”
US officials began Council negotiations last week on a draft following the ceasefire in the two-year Israel-Hamas war.
The third draft resolution seen by AFP welcomes “the establishment of the Board of Peace,” a transitional Gaza governing body that Trump would theoretically chair until end-2027.
It authorizes member states to form a “temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)” to work with Israel, Egypt and Palestinian police.
The ISF would secure border areas, demilitarize Gaza and work on “permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups.”
It would also protect civilians and secure humanitarian aid corridors.
Unlike previous versions, this draft mentions a possible future Palestinian state.
Once Palestinian Authority reforms occur and Gaza rebuilding begins, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” the draft states.
“The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence,” it adds.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about the resolution’s adoption on Wednesday.
“I think we’re making good progress on the language of the resolution and hopefully we’ll have action on it very soon,” he told reporters in Canada.
Diplomats told AFP that while Council members support the Board of Peace concept, questions remain about the draft.
Concerns include the lack of Security Council oversight mechanisms, the Palestinian Authority’s future role, and ISF mandate details. – AFP
