The United Nations General Assembly has passed a non-binding, symbolic resolution to demand an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, with the United States and Israel voting against it but an overwhelming number of member states in favour of an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A total of 153 countries voted in favour of the resolution on Tuesday, 10 countries voted against it, while 23 abstained.
Ambassadors and other diplomats burst into applause at the vote count, which showed much higher support than an October 27 Arab-sponsored resolution that called for a “humanitarian truce”. At that time, 121 countries voted in favour, 14 against, and 44 abstained – Iraq, citing technical difficulties, changed its vote to yes after the tally was recorded.
Here is a breakdown of how each country voted:
For (153):
A: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan
B: Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burundi
C: Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus
D: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic
E: East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia
F: Fiji, Finland, France
G: Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana
H: Honduras
I: Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland
J: Jamaica, Japan, Jordan
K: Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan
L: Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg
M: Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar
N: Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway
O: Oman
P: Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal
Q: Qatar
R: Republic of Korea (South Korea), Russia, Rwanda, Republic of the Congo
S: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria
T: Tajikistan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Turkey
U: Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan
V: Vanuatu, Vietnam
Y: Yemen
Z: Zambia, Zimbabwe
Against (10):
A: Austria
C: Czech Republic
G: Guatemala
I: Israel
L: Liberia
M: Micronesia
N: Nauru
P: Papua New Guinea, Paraguay
U: United States
Abstained (23):
A: Argentina
B: Bulgaria
C: Cabo Verde, Cameroon
E: Equatorial Guinea
G: Georgia, Germany
H: Hungary
I: Italy
L: Lithuania
M: Malawi, Marshall Islands
N: Netherlands
P: Palau, Panama
R: Romania
S: Slovakia, South Sudan
T: Togo, Tonga
U: Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay
Who changed their vote since October 27
A: Albania and Australia had abstained, but voted yes on Tuesday. Argentina had voted in favour, but abstained.
B: Benin and Burundi did not vote in October, but voted in favour.
C: Canada and Cyprus had previously abstained, but voted yes. Croatia voted yes, after voting against in October. Cambodia did not vote in October, but voted yes.
D: Denmark had previously abstained, but voted yes.
E: Estonia and Ethiopia had previously abstained, but voted yes. Equatorial Guinea abstained, earlier voted in favour.
F: Fiji voted against earlier, but voted in favour. Finland had previously abstained, but voted yes.
G: Greece had previously abstained, but voted yes
H: Hungary abstained after voting no in October. Haiti didn’t vote, and abstained earlier.
I: Iceland, India abstained in October, but voted yes.
J: Japan previously abstained, but voted yes. Jamaica did not vote in October, but voted yes on Tuesday.
K: Kiribati didn’t vote, abstained earlier.
L: Latvia previously abstained, but voted yes. Liberia voted against, after not voting in October.
M: Monaco and Moldova previously abstained, but voted yes. Malawi voted in favour in October, but abstained. Marshall Islands abstained after previously voting no.
N: Nod from North Macedonia, which abstained in October.
P: Philippines and Poland had abstained, but voted in favour.
R: Rwanda, Republic of the Congo voted yes, after not voting in October.
S: San Marino, Serbia and Sweden had previously abstained, but voted yes. Samoa, Seychelles did not vote in October, but voted yes on Tuesday.
T: Tunisia, Tuvalu had previously abstained, but voted yes. Tonga abstained after previously voting against.
V: Vanuatu previously abstained, but voted yes.
Z: Zambia previously abstained, but voted yes.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.