The United States intensified efforts Friday to rally support for its Gaza proposal at the U.N., while Russia introduced an alternative resolution that removes language about a transitional authority to be led by President Donald Trump and instead calls on the U.N. to outline options for an international stabilization force.
The U.S. and eight nations involved in brokering the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey — issued a joint statement urging the 15-member Security Council to quickly approve the latest U.S. draft. Of the eight, only Pakistan currently sits on the council.
The American proposal underwent revisions this week after some council members objected, prompting the U.S. to add more explicit references to Palestinian self-determination. A U.N. diplomat familiar with the talks, speaking anonymously, said both the U.S. and Russian drafts are expected to go to a vote early next week. The U.S. resolution is seen as likely to secure the nine votes needed to pass, with Russia and China expected to abstain rather than veto.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s ceasefire framework “is the best path to peace in the Middle East,” and argued that the U.S. resolution is key to advancing it.
The American draft backs Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which includes the creation of a Board of Peace — a transitional authority Trump would lead — and authorizes a broad international stabilization force in Gaza responsible for border oversight, security, and demilitarization. Countries open to contributing troops have said such authority is essential.
After concerns were raised that the draft did not sufficiently address a future Palestinian state, the U.S. updated the text. It now states that once reforms to the Palestinian Authority are implemented and Gaza reconstruction advances, conditions could emerge for a “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood and self-determination.
Russia’s competing draft, obtained by the Associated Press, contains stronger endorsements of a two-state solution and stresses that the West Bank and Gaza must form a unified state under the Palestinian Authority. Russia said its proposal aims to ensure the Security Council has the proper authority and tools to uphold international peace and insists that any resolution must reaffirm core principles — especially the two-state solution.
Moscow argued that the U.S. draft lacked these elements, prompting it to circulate its own text to “bring it into conformity” with previous council positions. The Russian mission emphasized that its version does not oppose the U.S. initiative and acknowledges the crucial mediation efforts by the U.S., Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey that helped secure the ceasefire and hostage releases.
Russia added that it supports parts of Trump’s plan that led to renewed humanitarian access, the exchange of bodies, and the freeing of detainees.
On Thursday, the U.S. mission warned that attempts to create division could have “grave and entirely avoidable consequences” for Palestinians in Gaza and urged the council to unite behind the American resolution.