In connection with the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the resolution on the situation in the Middle East «Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations» we note the following.
We reaffirm our position on condemnation of the rocket attacks and attacks by armed groups of Hamas against the population of Israel, as well as taking the hostages, that has led to the ongoing escalation and humanitarian suffering of the population of Israel and Palestine.
In this regard, we regret that the proposal made by the delegation of Canada together with more than two dozen UN member states to condemn such terrorist actions by Hamas and call for the release of hostages, which was supported by 88 votes, has not been included to the final text of the resolution. Ukraine became a co-author of the mentioned amendment and considered it as one of the main elements of the General Assembly document.
The results of the voting on the resolution in general are as follows: 120 votes in favour, 14 against, 45 abstentions. Ukraine together with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Great Britain and other countries has abstained.
At the same time, the resolution contains important provisions on humanitarian response to threats for the civilian population and civilian objects. Ukraine expresses its deepest condolences to all victims of the conflict and calls for the implementation of the provisions of the resolution, which require to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects, as well as to enable and facilitate humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in the Gaza Strip.
We support the call for immediate, full, permanent, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all other humanitarian organizations, as well as the creation of humanitarian corridors and other initiatives to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians. Ukraine calls for full implementation of these urgent tasks.
The Middle East peace process remains at the very core of any efforts aimed at restoring regional stability and security. Ukraine consistently supports the implementation of the principle of two states, Israel and Palestine, which will live side by side in peace and security, and advocates the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with the help of political and diplomatic means, in particular within the framework of unconditional implementation by the parties of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and other international agreements.