Key Points
- Australia abstained from a UN resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas.
- While 120 member states voted in favour of the resolution, 14, including the United States, voted against it.
- Australia abstained with "disappointment" because the resolution failed to mention Hamas.
The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly called for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, demanding aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip and protection of civilians.
But Australia was not among those who supported the vote, arguing the proposal was "insufficient."
Of 179 member states, 120 voted in favour of the resolution, which calls for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants and “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of aid for civilians trapped inside Gaza.
Some 14 member states, including Israel and the United States, voted against the resolution.
Another 45 including Australia, the United Kingdom, and several of Israel's European allies abstained.
120 member states voted in favour of the resolution, which calls for an "immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce". Source: AAP / Lev Radin/Sipa USA
Why did Australia abstain from voting on the UN's resolution?
James Larsen, representative of Australia to the United Nations, told the general assembly on Friday that Australia agreed with the central proposition of the resolution: namely, that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and humanitarian pauses are needed so that lifesaving assistance can reach people in need.
But he said the proposed draft was insufficient.
Although the General Assembly called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are being illegally held captive,” it did not name Hamas anywhere in the text.
“We abstained with disappointment because we believe the resolution, as drafted, was incomplete,” said Larsen.
“The resolution did not recognise the terror group Hamas as a perpetrator of the 7 October attack, and Australia again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.”
Australia’s abstention from the vote appears to deviate from , who just days earlier called on Israel to pause its bombardment of Gaza to allow for the flow of aid to civilians.
Wong on Wednesday described the humanitarian situation in the densely populated strip as "dreadful,” and urged for a pause in the conflict to ensure humanitarian aid can be taken to "civilians who need it.”
"We know that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dreadful. We know that there is widespread suffering. And we have consistently called for the protection of civilian lines and for humanitarian aid to have access to Gaza," she said. "We've joined the call that others have made for this to happen."
The United States denounced the resolution for similar reasons to Australia, with US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield saying “it is outrageous that this resolution fails to name the perpetrators of the October 7th terrorist attacks: Hamas. Hamas. It is outrageous.”
Another key word missing from the resolution, Thomas-Greenfield added, was “hostage.”
“These are omissions of evil,” she said. “And they give cover to, and they empower, Hamas' brutality.”
The US and Canada proposed an amendment to Friday's draft resolution to address these concerns, but their proposal was defeated with 88 yes votes, 55 no votes and 23 abstentions. Australia voted in favour of the proposed amendment.
What is Hamas?
Hamas is a that gained power in the Gaza Strip after winning legislative elections there in 2006.
Its stated aim is to establish a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognise Israel’s right to exist.
Hamas, in its entirety, is designated as a terrorist organisation by countries including Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. Some countries list only its military wing as a terrorist group.
The UN did not condemn Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation though, due to insufficient support from member states to do so during a 2018 vote.
Larsen noted on Friday that despite disagreement on the resolution to demand an aid truce, it was clear most member states were acting in good faith and wanted to pursue a political process.
Australia's abstention criticised
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) criticised the government’s decision to abstain from the vote, saying it was “deeply disappointed Australia didn't join the majority of the world in calling for what the people of Gaza desperately need.”
“All people in Israel and Palestine would benefit from a ceasefire,” Nasser Mashni, president of APAN, told SBS News. "The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and we must act urgently and decisively to protect over two million lives."
While the UN’s resolution is not binding, it functions as a litmus test to show where different nations stand on the conflict in Gaza, and the appropriate way to respond to it, at a time when and intensified its bombing campaign.
"It sends the message to everyone enough is enough,” Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters. “This war has to stop, the carnage against our people has to stop and humanitarian assistance should begin to enter the Gaza Strip.”
Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan rejected the resolution and accused those who voted yes of preferencing "the defence of Nazi terrorists" over Israel.
"This ridiculous resolution has the audacity to call for truce,” he told the General Assembly after the vote. “The goal of this resolution truce is that Israel should cease to defend itself to Hamas, so Hamas can light us on fire.”
Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, after militants from the group killed 1,400 people and took hundreds of hostages in an October 7 attack. Israel has launched a military siege on Gaza with that goal in mind, striking from the air, cutting off supplies and preparing a ground invasion. Palestinian authorities say more than 7,000 have been killed.
