The U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza: 153 U.N. members approved the resolution, 23 abstained and just 10, including the United States, voted “no.” Though nonbinding, the U.N. vote is another indication of the mounting isolation of the U.S. as it continues to support Israel’s assault, which has killed at least 18,000 Palestinians in a little over two months.
Australia, which abstained from voting for the General Assembly ceasefire resolution in October, is one of the latest U.S. allies to split from the Biden administration’s position. This is Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
Penny Wong: “Australia, alongside 152 other countries, was among the countries which voted in favor. In doing so, we joined Canada, New Zealand, Japan, France and India, and many other countries. … And in doing so, we have said Israel must respect international humanitarian law.”