A U.S. sponsored resolution condemning terrorist acts by Hamas failed to receive the two-thirds majority it needed to pass the United Nations General Assembly Thursday. The resolution condemned Hamas for “repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and for inciting violence, thereby putting civilians at risk.” It also condemned attempts by Hamas to build tunnels into Israel and launch rockets at civilian areas.
The U.S. urged a simple majority vote on the resolution but just before the final vote, Kuwait and Bolivia were able to get a narrow majority to adopt a rule requiring a two-thirds majority for the resolution's passage which ensured its failure.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused the Arab countries behind adopting the two-thirds majority procedural rule of “double standards” and condemned the UN’s failure to respond to terrorist acts against Israel.
"There is nothing more anti-Semitic than saying we cannot condemn terrorism against Israel, while we would not hesitate for a minute to condemn the same acts if they were taken against any other country," she said.
“Is the hatred toward Israel so strong that you’ll defend a terrorist organization?” she asked those that voted against the resolution.
RT @USUN: Today we spoke some hard truths. We can’t talk about peace in the Middle East until we can agree on a basic condemnation of Hamas and its terrorism. The UN had a chance to do that today, and it failed. pic.twitter.com/BSHvdgy94J
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 7, 2018
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's released a statement following the vote praising the countries that did vote to condemn Hamas despite the resolution’s failure.
"The draft condemnation of Hamas in the UN General Assembly received a sweeping majority by countries that stood against Hamas,” he said. “While it did not achieve a two-thirds majority, this is the first time that a majority of countries have voted against Hamas and I commend each of the 87 countries that took a principled stand against Hamas. This is a very important achievement for the US and Israel. I thank the American administration and US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley for the initiative."
The vote on the resolution was 87-57 in favor with 33 abstentions, a majority below the two-thirds that was required.
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