The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the fighting in Gaza.
The UN Security Council met again in emergency session in New York on Gaza Tuesday, where Algeria put forward a resolution on behalf of Arab States demanding “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties”.
Algeria’s resolution gained support from 13 out of the 15 members around the iconic horseshoe table, while the United Kingdom abstained from voting.
The US has proposed its own draft resolution that would condemn Hamas but also support a temporary ceasefire based on the formula that all hostages are released.
Speaking after the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said her delegation is willing to engage constructively with Council members on her delegation’s draft resolution.
News reports suggest negotiations on the alternative text will be far from easy, with both Russia and China voicing strong opposition to the third use of a veto by the US on ceasefire resolutions.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Washington continues to provide Israel with “a license to kill,” adding that “Full responsibility for the consequences falls on Washington.”
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said it is totally untenable of the US to argue that the draft jeopardizes ongoing talks.
Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama said, “Algeria will return to knock on the doors of the Security Council once again to put an end to the bloodshed”. “We will not stop until this Council shoulders its responsibility in full and imposes an immediate ceasefire. We will never tire, and we will never stop.”
The Council has held more than a dozen meetings on the war in Gaza, including an open debate in late January, with more than 70 UN Member States voicing serious concerns about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
Many called on the Security Council to “work harder” to end the war, which began in October when Israeli forces invaded the Palestinian enclave in response to Hamas’ attacks in Israel that left 1,200 dead and 240 taken hostage. To date, almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliation.
Israeli is unleashing its military operation in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Gazans are sheltering with nowhere else to run to.
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