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US President Joe Biden on Tuesday told the UN General Assembly that the war in Gaza should end immediately and that he holds out hope for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
In his final speech to the United Nations before his term expires in January, Mr Biden also criticised Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank in the months following the Hamas-led October 7 attacks.
Mr Biden appeared to express frustration that a US-led ceasefire and hostage release deal that has been endorsed by the Security Council remains unsigned by Hamas or Israel.
“I put forward with Qatar and Egypt a ceasefire and hostage deal. It's been endorsed by the UN Security Council. Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home and secure security for Israel and Gaza,” he said.
Since October 7, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire across the border with Lebanon in a series of strikes that has entered a perilous phase, with successive waves of Israeli attacks that have killed hundreds and pushed Israel and Hezbollah to the brink of all-out war.
“Even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible,” Mr Biden said. “In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes and the border safely.”
Mr Biden also emphasised his desire for a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people while stressing the need to address West Bank violence.
“As we look ahead, we must also address the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank and set the conditions for a better future, including a two-state solution, where the world and Israel enjoys security and peace, and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity and self-determination in a state of their own,” he said.
Mr Biden, who entered politics more than 50 years ago as a 29-year-old senator from Delaware, highlighted the similarities in today's wars and challenges to those he observed when first embarking on his political journey.
“Things can get better,” he said. “We should never forget that. I've seen that throughout my career.”
Mr Biden also sought to highlight his foreign policy achievements, most notably the way he rallied Nato in support of Ukraine and helped to re-establish America's place on the world stage.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine, it could have stood by and merely protested. Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I understood that that was an assault on everything this institution supposed to stand for,” he said. “And so [under] my direction, America stepped into the breach, providing massive security and economic and humanitarian assistance our Nato allies and partners in 50-plus nations stood up as well. Most importantly, the Ukrainian people stood up.”
He added that Washington would continue to support Ukraine until it triumphed.
In his speech, he acknowledged his advanced age and implored other world leaders to listen to their people.
“We must never forget who we're here to represent: We the people,” he said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres opened the event and condemned what he described as a growing level of impunity worldwide, calling it both “politically indefensible” and “morally intolerable”.
Speaking at the UN Assembly Hall, Mr Guterres called out a “growing number of governments and others” who feel entitled to a “get out of jail free” card.
“They can trample international law. They can violate the United Nations Charter,” he said. “They can turn a blind eye to international human rights conventions or the decisions of international courts.”
He emphasised that this culture of impunity has allowed countries to “invade another country, lay waste to whole societies, or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people,” without facing consequences.
The UN chief quoted instances of the trend across the world, stating, “We see this age of impunity everywhere – in the Middle East, in the heart of Europe, in the Horn of Africa, and beyond.”
The International Criminal Court has issued warrants for several Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, over the war in Ukraine. The court has also announced it is seeking warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders, as well as Hamas figures for their role in the Gaza war. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
He described Gaza as a “non-stop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it,” adding, “Look no further than Lebanon.”
Mr Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalating violence, warning that “Lebanon is at the brink”.
“The people of Lebanon – the people of Israel – and the people of the world – cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also addressed Gaza, calling it the world’s largest cemetery for women and children. Mr Erdogan also criticised the UN for failing to uphold its founding mission, calling its structure dysfunctional. He also questioned countries offering unconditional support to Israel. “How long will you bear the shame of witnessing this massacre?” he asked.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II told the General Assembly that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to an attack on the UN, saying the presence of its flag has been unable to ensure protection for civilians from Israeli attacks.
“The attacks of October 7 on Israeli civilians last year were condemned by countries all over the world, including Jordan, but the unprecedented scale of terror unleashed on Gaza since that day is beyond any justification,” he said.
“The Israeli government’s assault has resulted in one of the fastest death rates in recent conflicts, one of the fastest rates of starvation caused by war, the largest cohort of child amputees and unprecedented levels of destruction this Israeli government has killed more children, more journalists, more aid workers and more medical personnel than any other war in recent memory.”
