Flag of the State of Palestine at the UN Office in Geneva. Top news of the day | Monday: Palestine, Zaporizhzhya, Security Council, General Assembly UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: Palestine’s request for UN membership, drone strikes on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, the use of veto power in the Security Council by Russia and China.
Palestine at the UN
On Monday, the Security Council decided to ask the Admissions Committee to reconsider the observer State of Palestine’s application for UN membership. Palestinian representatives sent a corresponding request to the UN last week. Before the formal transfer of the case, the Security Council held a closed meeting to discuss Palestine’s request to reconsider its membership request, submitted on September 23, 2011. The proposal for referral to the Committee, made by Ambassador Vanessa Fraser of Malta, President of the Security Council in April, was not opposed by the body’s 15 members. Palestine is an observer state at the UN with the same status as the Vatican.
Security at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant
The territory of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine was attacked by drones on Sunday. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi called it “a serious incident that compromised nuclear safety.” There were no signs of damage to critical nuclear or security systems at the facility, the agency said. However, the strikes were another reminder of the ongoing threats to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear facilities during armed conflict.
Humanitarian situation in Gaza
Humanitarian organizations are expressing concern about the planned Israeli invasion of Rafah and the serious shortage of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Residents of Khan Younis, north of Rafah, are returning to the devastated city despite warnings that there is no food in the city. The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jamie McGoldrick, stressed that 500 aid trucks must enter Gaza every day, otherwise the strip could face famine at any moment. The UN has backed calls for the opening of the Israeli port of Ashdod north of the Gaza Strip and for increased aid flows through Jordan.
Russian and Chinese veto
The plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly on Monday discussed the recent use of the veto power by permanent members of the Security Council. Russia and China took advantage of this right on March 22 when voting on a draft resolution on Gaza proposed by the United States. The debate was held in accordance with the 2022 resolution, which calls for the convening of the General Assembly within 10 working days of a veto in the Security Council. GA Chairman Dennis Francis called on Security Council members to meaningfully use their powers to support an immediate and lasting ceasefire.