U.S. demands condemnation of Hamas at UN meeting, but Security Council takes no immediate action

U.N. Security Council holds emergency meeting on Oct 8 to discuss Hamas attacks; U.S. demands condemnation, but no immediate action taken. Russia, China, UAE, and Palestine call for de-escalation, end to violence, and resumption of negotiations for two-state solution. Israel accuses Hamas of war crimes.

UNITED NATIONS The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors on October 8, with the United States demanding all 15 members strongly condemn “these heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas,” but they took no immediate action.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said afterwards that “a good number of countries” did condemn the Hamas attack but not all council members. He told reporters they could probably figure out one of them.

Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told The Associated Press the Americans tried to say during the meeting that Russia isn’t condemning the attacks, but “that’s untrue.”

“It was in my comments,” he said. “We condemn all the attacks on civilians.”

Mr. Nebenzia said Russia’s message is: “It’s important to stop the fighting immediately, to go to a cease-fire and to meaningful negotiations, which were stalled for decades.”

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun voiced a similar position earlier, as he headed into the meeting. He said Beijing condemns all attacks on civilians, though he did not mention Hamas.

“What’s really important is to prevent the further escalation of the situation and further casualties of civilians,” Mr. Zhang said. “What’s also important is really to come back to the two-state solution.”