Nov. 20 (UPI) — The United States Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution that demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.
“United States VETOES Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire in Gaza, and the release of all hostages,” the U.N. posted on X.
A draft resolution requires at least nine votes from the council’s 15 members. Fourteen of the members voted for Wednesday’s resolution, but it was stopped by the U.S. vote as one of five permanent members with veto power, along with China, Russia, Britain and France.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood explained before the meeting why the United States “could not support” the resolution, adding U.S. officials had worked for weeks to avoid the outcome of Wednesday’s vote.
“We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages,” Wood said. “This resolution abandoned that necessity.
Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong told the Security Council it’s “no wonder people feel angry” after Israel has flagrantly breached every red line of international humanitarian law while he said the United States repeatedly vetoes Security Council actions on the war in Gaza.
Cong said the United States should take its membership seriously and support Security Council efforts to achieve a Gaza cease-fire.
But Wood said Hamas is standing in the way of a cease-fire and the resolution would have sent a dangerous message to Hamas that it no longer needs to negotiate.
Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama said the vote displayed to the Palestinian people is that “while the overwhelming majority of the world stands in solidarity with your plight, others remain indifferent to your suffering.”
“Today’s message is clear to the Israeli occupying power — you may continue your genocide…with complete impunity. In this Chamber — you enjoy immunity,” Bendjama said.
Even as Russia continues to launch brutal attacks on Ukraine that have prompted a U.N. commission to accuse Russia of war crimes against civilians including ‘widespread and systemic‘ torture, Russia’s U.N. ambassador said the U.S. veto on the Gaza resolution was unconscionable.
“It is unconscionable that the U.S. would cynically stand in the way of demanding such actions to save lives in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said.