Countries look to UN Resolution 377A to circumvent US veto on Gaza truce

Gulf Today Report

Egypt and Mauritania have invoked Resolution 377A (V) last week after the US vetoed a proposed UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Resolution 377A (V) has called for an emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Dec.12 (Tuesday).

The invocation of Resolution 377A (V) is seen as a step to to circumnavigate the United States' veto on Gaza ceasefire.

The resolution 377A (V) says that if the UNSC is not able to discharge its primary responsibility of maintaining global peace due to lack of unanimity, the UN General Assembly can step in.

However, it also specifies that the UNGA recommendations are legally non binding and can be ignored by the member states without facing any consequences.

Israel backed by Washington has in the past ignored several binding UN resolutions.

Section A of resolution 377 A (V) states that when USSC, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the General Assembly shall seize itself of the matter.

Following are the procedures and steps, which are to be followed after the invocation of Resolution 377 A (V):

1.    If the Assembly is not in session, it may meet in emergency special session at the request of the Security Council or of a majority of its own members.

2.     Such a session shall be convened with a view to making appropriate recommendations for “collective measures…including the use of armed force when necessary.”

Here also the language of the resolution clearly says that the UNGA can never be a full substitute for the UNSC and can only make “recommendations” devoid of any binding legal force.

Additionally, resolution 377 A (V) establishes two auxiliary bodies, a Peace Observation Commission, which existed until 1960, and a Collective Measures Committee, which had a short life of only two years. None of these bodies has played any role of major significance.