The United States of America (USA) has vetoed a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
The UN Security Council voted in an emergency session on a draft resolution presented by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
As a permanent member, the USA vetoed the draft resolution, Great Britain abstained, and the other 13 members voted “for”, reports Anadolia.
The draft resolution states that it is necessary to protect all civilians, pointing to the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Also, in the draft resolution, which calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, all parties are invited to fulfill their obligations under international law, especially with regard to the protection of civilians.
The draft resolution demands the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners and access to humanitarian aid.
US Permanent Representative to the UN Robert Wood said that Hamas was not condemned in the draft resolution and that it was unacceptable that some members of the Security Council remained silent on this issue.
After the US killed the draft text, Mohamed Abushahab, the UAE’s representative, lamented its failure, saying “regrettably, and in the face of untold misery, this council is unable to demand a humanitarian cease-fire.”
“Let me be clear: against the backdrop of the Secretary General’s grave warnings, the appeals by humanitarian actors (and) the world’s public opinion, this council grows isolated. It appears untethered from its own founding document,” he said.
“The disappointing outcome of this vote will not deter us from continuing to implore council members to act and bring the violence in Gaza to an end. The council must unite and act to end this war, and the UAE will continue to insist it does,” he added.
“We take note of the results in the Security Council. The Secretary-General’s determination to push for a humanitarian cease-fire and the UN’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza will continue,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Anadolu in a statement.
Robert Wood, the US representative to the UN, said the Biden administration exercised its veto power because a cease-fire would have allowed Hamas to remain in control of Gaza.
“As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, any cease-fire is at best temporary and is certainly not peace. And any cease-fire that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza will deny Palestinian civilians the chance to build something better for themselves,” said Wood.
“For that reason, although the United States strongly supports a durable peace in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security, we do not support this resolution’s call for an unsustainable cease-fire that will only plant the seeds for the next war.
Many sessions were held in the UN Security Council after October 7, many draft resolutions were vetoed, while on November 15, resolution number 2712 was adopted, which requested a humanitarian pause in the conflict in the Gaza Strip, AA reports.
