China and Russia, two of the U.N. Security Council’s veto-wielding nations, are calling for the “peace commission” under U.S. President Donald Trump’s cease-fire plan to be completely removed from the resolution, the Associated Press reported, according to four U.N. diplomats briefed on the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations.
In the latest draft, released late Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. maintains the council’s language but provides further commitment to Palestinian self-determination, although the language remains weak.
While some of the reactions to the U.S. proposal reflect typical negotiations between nations, with detailed back-and-forth and revised text, the opposition to the transition council is indicative of the deep rift between some members of the U.N.’s most powerful body and the United States after more than two years of war.
At the same time, other member states also said swift action would avoid reversing progress toward peace, one diplomat said.
That was the message Thursday from the U.S. mission to the United Nations, which said in a statement that “attempts to sow discord” were having “serious, concrete and entirely avoidable consequences for the Palestinian people of Gaza.” He called on the council to come together and pass the resolution.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also called on the Security Council to pass the resolution without delay.
Master’s degree/PR