Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – World leaders are now working together to prevent the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group from spreading to an area that is key to global energy supplies.
One of them is the United States (US) and Russia. The two countries are leading international calls to halt fighting between Israel and Hamas to allow aid into the currently besieged Gaza Strip.
At the UN, the US and Russia put forward competing plans for humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians. Washington has called for a pause and Russia wants a humanitarian ceasefire. Pauses are generally considered less formal and shorter than ceasefires.
“The whole world expects the Security Council’s call for an immediate unconditional ceasefire,” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council, as quoted Reuters.
Arab countries also firmly support calls for a humanitarian ceasefire amid widespread destruction of buildings in Gaza.
“We regret the council’s inability twice to adopt resolutions or even call for a ceasefire to end this war,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last week called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
“While we remain opposed to a ceasefire, we think a humanitarian pause related to aid deliveries that would still allow Israel to conduct military operations to defend itself is worth considering,” said a senior US official.
On the other hand, US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also agreed to expand diplomacy to maintain stability throughout the region and prevent widespread conflict. This was conveyed by the White House after the two leaders spoke by telephone on Tuesday (24/10/2023).
The US itself has advised Israel to postpone plans for a ground attack as Washington seeks to free more than 200 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
However, when asked if he was urging Israel to delay its ground invasion, Biden told reporters: “Israel is making its own decisions.”
Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council on Tuesday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had attempted to blame Iran for the Israel-Hamas war.
“Our commitment to regional peace and stability remains steadfast,” he said. “The US is further exacerbating the conflict by openly siding with the aggressor at the expense of the innocent Palestinian population.”
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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