The North American delegation has used its veto for the third time to reject a text that also rejects the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population.
USA has again vetoed a resolution in the UN security council submitted by Algeria on behalf of the Arab states, calling for “a humanitarian ceasefire immediate” in the Gaza Strip that “must be respected by all parties”.
The text received 13 votes in favor, one against (United States) and one abstention (United Kingdom). To be adopted, the draft resolution had to receive at least nine votes in favor and could not be vetoed by any of the five permanent members of the Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States). This is the third time Washington has exercised its veto on this issue.
In addition to an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the text rejected the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian populationincluding minors, demanded, in violation of international law, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and called for unhindered humanitarian access.
American alternative resolution
The United States has announced that it is working on an alternative draft resolution – there is no voting date yet – that would support a resolution a ‘temporary’ ceasefire in Gaza, demanding security conditions such as cessation of fighting “as soon as possible”, the condemnation of Hamas and the release of all hostages. The draft also reiterates the vision of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has argued that the text presented by Algeria does not offer lasting peace, but rather prolongs the captivity of the hostages and the humanitarian crisis. For example, he revealed that the US is working on another resolution that will do this. “At a time when many parties are engaged in delicate negotiations, this is not the time for this resolution, which jeopardizes these efforts,” he said.
The attitude of the United States has been criticized by Russia and China, the two great powers that also sit on the Security Council. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia has stated that Washington continues to give Israel a ‘license to kill’.
After the vote, the ambassador and permanent observer of the state of Palestine has assured that Israel continues its offensive “despite the almost unanimous calls” from the international community in favor of a ceasefire. “In the past 20 days alone, Israel has killed nearly four thousand Palestinian children, women and men. This is an unfortunate consequence of inaction,” he denounced.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
