Saudi FM urges Security Council to act to contain Mideast crisis

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (UNTV)

• Prince Faisal spotlighted the growing rift between a divided Security Council and the international consensus

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday urged the United Nations Security Council to get its act together and find a way to stop the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from widening further.
Speaking at a Security Council meeting in New York, Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat lamented that despite the successive resolutions passed by the General Assembly, there is no end in sight to the “catastrophic  humanitarian situation” the people of Gaza are facing.
Prince Faisal made the plea as fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah continued to escalate, with Israel expanding its air strikes to the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, while Hezbollah targeting key Israeli facilities with missiles.
He faulted members of the council for being quick to use the veto rather than find consensus to resolve the Gaza crisis. He noted that since last October there were six draft resolutions where the veto was used out of ten.
Even then, he said, the resolutions that were adopted failed to achieve a ceasefire, failed to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation, and failed to pave the way for a creditable political path towards peace.
Last March, Russia and China vetoed a US-proposed resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an Israel-Hamas hostage deal. Other resolutions saw the US objecting and Britain abstaining.
In the 15-member Security Council, the permanent members — Britain China, France, Russia and the US — are entitled to a special voting power known as the ‘”right to veto.” A veto could defeat a resolution even if it is supported by a majority of the council members.
“What does the UNSC need to end the suffering, to implement international law?,” Prince Faisal said. “It is clear there is a widening gap between international consensus and divides within the Security Council, which undermine its performance.”
Prince Faisal cited the General Assembly for passing successive resolutions that reflected what countries where calling for: the urgent need for a ceasefire, providing humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip without interruption, and the right of Palestinians to self determination,
“We value the resolution of the General Assembly that recognized the eligibility of Palestine for full membership at the UN, by virtue of which Palestine received additional privileges, as well as the latest resolutions that called on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territory, he said.