Skopje, 30 October 2023 (MIA) – The decision to vote on the United Nations resolution was not easy. We decided to abstain because the resolution addresses humanitarian issues, which we agree with and support, but omits the terrorist attack Hamas carried out on October 7, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said on Monday.

"North Macedonia supports the humanitarian aspect of the Jordan resolution, the necessity to protect civilians and their access to basic necessities - electricity, water and medicine. On the other hand, a major weakness of the resolution is the omission of the October 7 terrorist attack carried out by Hamas, which we immediately and strongly condemned, as well as Israel's right to defend itself. That is why we voted for the Canadian amendment. The decision was not easy. We decided to abstain because the resolution addresses humanitarian issues that we agree upon and support, on one hand, but failing to mention what Hamas did on October 7 leaves no room for a different approach to the vote. In any case, the international community should continue its efforts to ensure long-term peace and stability in the Middle East. I urge you to take a look at the votes on the final resolution and the Canadian amendment that was submitted in order to complete the resolution, but was not accepted before the final vote, which is why the majority of countries voted the way we did," PM Kovachevski told a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when asked to clarify the government's decision to abstain from UN's resolution for the situation in Gaza.

He explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he says, is part of the Macedonian Government, advised Ambassador Ljubomir Frchkoski how to vote at the UN General Assembly.

The UN General Assembly’s resolution was brought by Jordan and received 120 "Yes" votes, 45 "abstentions," including North Macedonia, and 14 "No" votes, including Israel, the United States and Australia, Czech Republic, Croatia and Hungary among those from Europe.

The UN General Assembly's resolution is non-binding, but carries political weight due to the support of the large majority of UN members. It calls for an "urgent, durable, and permanent humanitarian ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas and demands unimpeded aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip. ssh/ik/

Photo: MIA archive