US veto: Halting UN Security Council condemnation of Israel
Arab countries confronted strong opposition from the US as they pushed for the declaration, condemning Israel of “intentionally targeting and killing” over 100 Gazans, during a late-night UN Security Council meeting. “Express deep concern on reports stating that over 100 individuals have lost their lives, with approximately 750 others sustaining injuries due to Israeli forces opening fire,” the statement encouraged the council members to do. A proposed UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Israel’s conflict in Gaza has been blocked by the US once more, drawing sharp criticism from both friends and enemies. A day after Washington circulated a resolution endorsing a temporary truce conditional on the release of all Israeli prisoners held in the Palestinian enclave, the US vetoed a UNSC resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for the third time.
The UN Security Council resolution
The vote in the 15-member council was 13-1, with the UK abstaining. This indicates the strong support that the world has given to putting an end to the horrific conflict that has claimed the lives of almost 29,000 Palestinians. According to the Xinhua news agency, Zhang Jun, China’s representative to the UN, voiced “strong disappointment and dissatisfaction” with the US. Zhang stated that opposing a ceasefire in Gaza is “nothing different from giving the green light to the continued slaughter,” adding that the US veto “sends a wrong message, pushing the situation in Gaza into a more dangerous one.”
He was reported by Xinhua as stating, “The world can only stop the flames of hell from engulfing the entire region by putting an end to the war in Gaza.” The facts are not completely in our possession right now. “That’s the issue,” stated US Deputy Envoy to the UN Robert Wood late on Thursday afternoon after meeting with the 15-member council. Claiming casualties, the Israeli forces stepped on one other as they ran for cover, and some were even mowed over by convoy cars. The declaration had a difficult assignment since it needed the approval of every council member, which was improbable given that the US has a history of vetoing measures that attack Israel.
US opposition
The representative of the Palestinian Authority to the UN, Riyad Mansour, said that the statement produced by Algeria was endorsed by fourteen members. Following his discussion with US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Mr. Mansour pleaded for the Security Council to denounce the murders and bring charges against those who carried out the purported atrocity.
Mr. Mansour spoke of the US ambassador, saying, “I think her heart is in the right place, but she is an official of an administration that receives instructions from Washington, D.C.” Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN ambassador, described the US veto as “another black page in the Security Council’s history.” He said that the US was attempting to buy time for Israel to carry out its “inhumane plans” for Gaza, which included driving the Palestinians out of the region and “cleansing” the enclave entirely. No matter how unpleasant the “aftertaste” of the vote may be, he continued, “we are not in the mood to give up.”
International Reaction
Shortly after the event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticized the paralysis of the Security Council and expressed dismay. Noting that the resolution “could not be adopted, given the disastrous situation” in Gaza, France’s UN representative Nicolas de Riviere expressed sadness. De Riviere stated that France, a country that supported the resolution, will keep pushing for the release of all prisoners and the “immediate implementation” of a ceasefire.
The UNSC has “failed once again,” according to Algeria’s envoy, and the decision might have far-reaching effects on the Middle East as a whole. “Today, we want to convey to you that the world community must demand an immediate ceasefire in response to pleas to stop the killing of Palestinians. Erroneous judgments made now will have an impact on our area and the globe tomorrow, therefore everyone who is resisting these requests ought to reevaluate their calculations and policies. And bloodshed and instability will be the price for this, according to Amar Bendjama.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The US veto, according to Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour, was “very regrettable,” as he said . “Name it what you will, humanitarian, characterize it as you please, but an immediate ceasefire is demanded by the UN secretary-general, nearly all of the UN’s humanitarian agencies, and a significant portion of the General Assembly’s member nations,” he declared. “The Security Council is giving Israel the incorrect message.
