The United States on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations resolution that would have condemned Hamas' attacks against Israel and all violence against civilians and urged humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The United States was the sole vote against the resolution on Wednesday, with 12 members voting in favour and Russia and the United Kingdom abstaining.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote that President Joe Biden is in the region engaging in diplomacy “and we need that diplomacy to play out.” She also criticised the resolution for not saying anything about Israel's right to self-defense.
What did the resolution say?
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The Brazil-drafted resolution said the United Nations Security Council firmly condemns "all violence and hostilities against civilians and all acts of terrorism." It unequivocally rejected and condemned the heinous terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7.
The resolution would have also called for humanitarian pauses to allow full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, and encouraged the establishment of humanitarian corridors and other initiatives for the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
It would have also called for the rescission of the order by Israel for civilians and UN staff to evacuate all areas in Gaza north of the Wadi Gaza and relocate in the southern part of the strip.
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Why did United States veto resolution?
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in her explanation of the vote, said that the Council is meeting at a time when President Joe Biden is in Israel.
His trip is a “clear demonstration of the fact that the United States is actively engaging at the highest levels: to secure the release of hostages; to prevent the conflict from spreading; to stress the need to protect civilian lives; to address the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians in Gaza; and to demonstrate to the Israeli people that the United States stands with them in their time of sorrow and need.”
She said the United States is “disappointed” that the Brazil-led resolution made no mention of Israel's right to self-defence. “Like every nation in the world, Israel has the inherent right of self-defence, as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Following previous terrorist attacks by groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS, this Council reaffirmed that right. This text should have done the same," she said.
She asserted that when the United States talks about the protection of civilians, it means all civilians, and reiterated that it was “horrified and saddened” by Tuesday’s “explosion" at the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds. "We mourn this tragic, tragic loss of life.
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On the humanitarian front, the US is working with Israel, its neighbours, the United Nations and other partners to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, she said.
“Let’s be clear: Hamas’ own actions have brought this on – this severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And Hamas has caused so much needless suffering, death, and destruction. Every Member State should condemn Hamas’ terrorism and cruelty. And every Member State should call on Hamas to cease its endless barrage of rockets against Israel. This is not complicated. It’s not controversial. This is the bare minimum,” she said.
This was the second time in two days that the Council failed to adopt a resolution on the situation in the Middle East. Following the vote, Brazil’s Permanent Representative at the UN Sérgio França Danese voiced deep regret over the failure of the Council to act and adopt the resolution to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
