UN vote on the Middle East
Central Council boss Schuster criticizes German abstention
October 29, 2023, 12:31 a.m
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Because Germany does not reject a UN General Assembly resolution on the war in the Middle East, but rather abstains, the Central Council of Jews is criticizing it. Its boss Schuster speaks of a disappointment for Jews living in Germany – and recalls expressions of solidarity from politicians.
The Central Council of Jews criticizes Germany’s abstention from a UN resolution on the war between Israel and the radical Palestinian organization Hamas. Central Council President Josef Schuster spoke in the “Tagesspiegel am Sonntag” of a “disappointment for the Jews in Germany.” With its abstention, Germany supported the UN’s “relative attitude towards Israel”.
Germany should have rejected the resolution, Schuster continued. This meant that “the mantra-like declarations of solidarity with Israel” could have been upheld “in the face of headwinds from the UN General Assembly”.
The UN General Assembly in New York called by a large majority on Friday for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. At an emergency meeting, of the 193 member states of the UN, 120 countries voted for the resolution, 14 countries voted against it and 45 countries abstained.
Baerbock explains the abstention
The vote also revealed the different attitudes of Western countries towards Israel’s actions after the Hamas attack in the Gaza Strip: While France voted for the resolution, Germany, Italy and Great Britain abstained. Austria and the USA, on the other hand, voted against the text. This was sharply criticized by Israel, but Hamas welcomed its adoption.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock from the Greens said after the vote that important points such as “a clear condemnation of all acts of terror and at least a call for the release of the hostages” were included in the text. “Because the resolution does not clearly name Hamas terror, does not call for the release of all hostages clearly enough and does not affirm Israel’s right to self-defense, we and many of our European partners decided not to agree to the resolution in the end,” the minister explained Germany abstains from voting.