In a significant diplomatic development, the United States exercised its veto power in the UN Security Council, blocking a resolution that aimed to call for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver life-saving aid to the people of Gaza amidst the Israel-Gaza crisis. This decision followed the rejection of a Russian-backed draft earlier in the week. In this article, we delve into the key events and the rationale behind these actions.
The UN Security Council’s recent session witnessed the introduction of a resolution led by Brazil, which called for humanitarian pauses in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The primary goal was to facilitate the delivery of crucial aid to the people of the region, where millions have been affected by the crisis.
Despite receiving significant support from 12 of the Council’s 15 members, the resolution encountered a major roadblock. The United States, as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, exercised its veto power. This ‘no’ vote had the effect of halting any further action on the proposed resolution.
A ‘no’ vote from any of the five permanent members – China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States – carries the weight to prevent the adoption of any measure before the Council.
Prior to the voting on the Brazilian-led resolution, Russia introduced two amendments. The first called for an immediate, durable, and full ceasefire, while the second aimed to halt attacks against civilians. These amendments were met with rejection by the Security Council.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia emphasized the urgency of the situation, asserting that “the time for diplomatic metaphors is long gone.” He argued that anyone not supporting Russia’s draft resolution bears responsibility for the ongoing events. Nebenzia pointed out that the current draft did not have a clear call for a ceasefire and would not contribute to stopping the bloodshed.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield explained her country’s decision to veto the resolution, emphasizing that it did not mention Israel’s inherent right of self-defense. She underlined that this inherent right is enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter and has been reaffirmed by the Council in previous resolutions on terrorist attacks. The US position was that the resolution should have included similar language.
While the US vetoed the resolution, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield conveyed the nation’s commitment to working closely with all Council members to address the ongoing crisis. She stressed the need to protect civilians, including members of the media, humanitarian workers, and UN officials.
The United Kingdom abstained from voting on the resolution, citing concerns about the clarity of the text regarding Israel’s inherent right to self-defense. The UK also noted that the resolution did not address the fact that Hamas, an extremist group controlling Gaza, uses Palestinian civilians as human shields.
This marks the second open meeting of the Security Council on the Gaza situation. While the Council had met mainly behind closed doors on this crisis, the recent developments have drawn global attention. The international community continues to grapple with finding a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Gaza crisis, as humanitarian needs grow and tensions persist.
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Source: UN News
