Cambodia Among 153 States Calling for Gaza Cease-fire
Voting results are displayed during an emergency special session held at the UN headquarters in New York on Dec. 12, 2023. Photo: Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua
- By Chhuon Kongieng
- December 13, 2023 5:05 PM
PHNOM PENH – The United Nations General Assembly has approved a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip and the unconditional release of all hostages, aiming to ensure humanitarian action.
Cambodia voted for the resolution, which is non-binding, along with 152 other states.
The assembly urges all parties to uphold their obligations under international law, particularly international humanitarian law, which relates to civilian protection.
Cambodia and fellow ASEAN countries were in favor of the resolution about the protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations.
Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said Cambodia voted for the resolution because Cambodia has also experienced conflicts, including civil wars and invasion wars.
He said Cambodia understood that only peace brings the best time for each family and that women and children were the victims of conflict.
“We are a small country and we’ve faced many problems in the past, and we do not want to see other people in different countries face the same problems as in our past,” said Sam.
Sam suggested that Cambodia seek international assistance to respect the rights of small states and the independence of the country in case of future issues.
“We cannot predict the future of Cambodia, so if we face problems someday, we can just ask for help from the international community to respect the rights of small states and respect independence,” Sam said.
During the UN meeting on December 13 (Cambodian time), 10 states opposed the resolution, and 23 abstained. Israel and the United States were among the states that voted against it, while Ukraine, Britain, Germany, and Italy were among the states that abstained.
