Israel’s Rafah deadline keeps UNSC occupied
Arabs put resolution for ceasefire to vote; US proposes another motion
The US proposed a UN Security Council resolution warning against an Israeli assault on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and calling for a temporary cease-fire, according to a copy of the draft text seen by Bloomberg.
“Under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighbouring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security,” the draft says. “Such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances.”the proposal follows previous signals from the US, which holds council veto power, that it would likely block a more forceful push from Algeria demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, saying this could jeopardise ongoing negotiations for a pause in the war. That vote could come as soon as Tuesday.
The US has so far been reluctant to back cease-fire proposals in the fourmonth old conflict, though it has tried to broker a deal under which Hamas would release hostages from Gaza in return for a pause in fighting.
Frustration in the West and Arab states has grown with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has signaled he will move ahead with a fullscale
invasion of the city. The goal, he says, is to finish dismantling the Hamas forces based there as well as free Israeli hostages.
Also, Arab nations are putting to a vote a UN resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, knowing it will be vetoed by the United States but hoping to show broad global support for ending the Israel-hamas war.
Rafah’s population has swelled from some 250,000 to more than 1 million as Palestinians from across the territory have sought refuge there.
The UN’S Under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said last week an invasion would be “catastrophic.”
Washington said Israel should not attack Rafah unless it allows civilians to leave first. Netanyahu has pledged that will happen, but it’s unclear how feasible that is. Rafah is close to Gaza’s border with Egypt, but Cairo has said it won’t take in Palestinian refugees en masse. And more northern parts of the Gaza Strip are largely destroyed or still active fighting zones.