Government hails failure of US draft resolution to condemn Hamas

The Palestinian government Friday hailed the failure of the US-sponsored draft resolution condemning Hamas to secure an overwhelming majority at the United Nations General Assembly.

Government spokesman Yousef al-Mahmoud hailed the results of the voting on the draft resolution as a sign of the world’s alignment with Palestinian rights and renunciation of the means of hegemony and arrogance exercised by the US administration in defence of the Israeli occupation.

“The US administration’s failure to pass the draft resolution accusing the Palestinian side ]of inciting violence[ and exonerating the Israeli side from crimes committed against the Palestinian people and encouraging it to commit more crimes proves again the force of the Palestinian right and the Palestinian leadership’s success at the global level,” he said.

Presented by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, the resolution was the first UNGA resolution to condemn Hamas and Palestinian resistance for firing rockets into Israel and “inciting violence”.   

Before the vote on the draft resolution, a separate vote was reportedly held to determine the majority the UNGA would need to pass the resolution. The US asked for a simple majority, while Kuwait asked for a two-third majority. Kuwait’s request ultimately won.

The draft received 87 votes in favor, 58 against, and 32 abstentions, thus falling short of reaching the required two-thirds majority of all state members’ votes.