Understanding US decision not to veto UN ceasefire
Due to the rejection of two permanent members, the United States’ draft resolution urging, but not demanding, a ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing attack on Gaza was not approved by the UN Security Council. Eleven votes were cast in favor of the proposal that was presented to the Council, three against it (from Algeria, China, and Russia), and one abstention (from Guyana). The resolution, which would have denounced the October 7 attack by Hamas and stressed the “imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire,” was vetoed by both China and Russia. Washington is viewed by Moscow as a “hypocritical spectacle” that does not apply pressure on Israel.
Background of the ceasefire resolution
Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the UN, claimed that the draft was highly politicized and that it gave Israel the “effective green light” to launch a military assault in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, where over 1.5 million Palestinians are seeking refuge. Nebenzia charged that the US leadership was “deliberately misleading the international community” and pointed out that the resolution included no mention of a ceasefire. Zhang Jun, the Chinese delegate, claimed that the draft’s “ambiguous” wording “dodged the most central issue, that of a ceasefire.” It doesn’t even address the issue of achieving a ceasefire in the near future. Although the US pushed the draft as a call for a ceasefire, opponents noted that it makes no mention of ending the conflict. Rejecting earlier draft resolutions that called for an unconditional ceasefire, the proposal supports the imperative for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides.
Veto power in the UN Security Council
Additionally, the US draft resolution links the ceasefire to the continuing negotiations for a truce agreement that would free Israeli prisoners held in Gaza. It does not appear to be demanding a ceasefire, only stating that one is necessary. Furthermore, it establishes a clear connection between this ceasefire and the release of the last prisoners detained in Gaza by Hamas and other organizations. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated that Russia had used its veto power to prioritize politics above progress and that neither China nor Russia was making any significant progress toward promoting world peace. The US, Israel’s closest friend, has vetoed three resolutions calling for a ceasefire; the most recent being a resolution sponsored by the Arabs that was approved by 13 council members on February 20 with one member abstaining. Prior to this Friday’s vote, the US had circulated a competing resolution a day earlier. During talks, this resolution underwent significant revisions. The previous draft had backed international attempts for a ceasefire as part of a hostage arrangement, and it had originally supported a temporary ceasefire connected to the release of all captives.
Factors influencing the US decision
Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s UN ambassador, said that thousands of innocent deaths may have been spared if the Council had approved its resolution from February. Since the conflict started in October of last year, over 32,000 Palestinians have died, the most of them were women and children. Bendjama stated that these statistics stand for lives and hopes that have been destroyed, noting that Israel was not held accountable for their murders in the US text. The US draft resolution, according to White House national security secretary John Kirby, “expresses nothing new” and reiterates Washington’s long-standing support for a short truce in Gaza as a condition of a hostage agreement.
International response
Kirby said that the plan was rejected “simply” because it was written in the United States by China and Russia. The Security Council’s ten elected members have been working on a resolution of their own, which calls for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire to be “respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire” throughout the holy month of Ramadan, which began on March 10. It also emphasizes the pressing need to safeguard people and provide humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip, calling for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Additionally, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, France will work on a new UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Following the vetoes by China and Russia a short while ago, Macron declared, “We will resume work based on the French draft resolution in the Security Council and work with our American, European, and Arab partners to reach an agreement.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, The US decided not to use its veto power to thwart Resolution 2728 due to a number of significant changes, the most significant of which being the widespread opposition to the ceasefire in the majority of Western nations. It is sufficient to note that, in this context, over 12,800 pro-ceasefire protests have been held worldwide, with just 23% of them taking place in the US.
