Countries that voted against UN cease-fire resolution will be remembered: Palestinian envoy to UK

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The Palestinian ambassador to Britain said Saturday that his country will remember those who voted against a UN resolution that called for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

His remarks came at Parliament Square in London where a massive crowd rallied in solidarity with Palestinians.

Husam Zomlot said the crimes "are unconscionable" and Israel has killed thousands of innocent people, including 3,000 children.

"Israel has succeeded in destroying our homes, schools, churches, mosques,” he said. “Israel has succeeded in cutting communication in Gaza. You know why? Because they want to commit crimes in the darkness.”

Touching on the vote Friday in the UN General Assembly for a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce, Zomlot said the UN voted for a cease-fire but Israel will not listen.

The resolution passed with 120 votes in favor, 14 against and 45 abstentions.

Referring to the 14 who voted against the resolution, he stressed: "We shall remember them."

"Imagine voting against protecting civilian life. Imagine voting against international law. What has happened to our humanity? What has happened to our values? What has happened to intentional system that promise equal rules for all," he said.

He urged world leaders to stand up to injustice.

"This is a historic moment, a moment where we choose between darkness or light, between the barbaric exercise of power or the moral guidance of law," said Zomlot.

- 'Support peace not war'

Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union, demanded Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer and the leadership of the party to demand a cease-fire.

"We call on the Labour Party leadership and our whole movement to support peace not war. Starmer must call now for an immediate cease-fire and mass emergency aid for the people of Gaza," he told the crowd.

Calling for building peace and a just settlement for all in the region, Lynch stressed that the Labour Party and the whole workers movement "must show it is on the side of the peacemakers, not the warmongers."

"End the killing now, call the immediate cease-fire and let’s create the road to a settlement with peace, social justice, human rights, freedom and dignity for all," he added.

Zarah Sultana, a Labour Party MP, said silence is "complicity," and her party cannot be silent and complicit.

"So let’s send this message to all of our political leaders, to people across the globe and most of all, to the Palestinian people: We say this, we stand with you, we stand with Palestine and we will speak up until our leaders listen and until the bombs stop," she said.

Sultana said the party will continue to speak up until the siege of Gaza by Israel is lifted and food, water and medical supplies flow back in.

"We will speak up until the occupation ends and Palestine is free," she added.

- More than 7,700 Palestinians killed

Gaza has been under relentless Israeli airstrikes since the surprise offensive by Hamas on Oct. 7.

The Palestinian group had initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood -- a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air.

Hamas said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

Israel responded with an uninterrupted campaign of air raids, which intensified Friday night along with ground activities amid a complete blackout of telecommunications and internet networks.

At least 7,703 Palestinians, including 3,595 children, have been killed in the Israeli attacks, while the death toll in Israel stands at more than 1,400.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents are also grappling with shortages of food, water, and medicine due to Israel’s blockade of the enclave. Only a few aid trucks have crossed into Gaza since the opening of the Rafah crossing point with Egypt last weekend.

The UN General Assembly approved a resolution late Friday that called for a humanitarian truce, but Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen called it “despicable” and rejected it.