The United States used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council on Friday to block the passage of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. The US opposed the draft resolution because it was “divorced from reality” and failed to address the root causes of the conflict, such as the ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza and Hamas’s refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist.
The US vetoed the resolution despite widespread international support for the measure, including backing from the European Union, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the Arab League. The resolution had been drafted by Kuwait on behalf of the Arab states, and it called for an immediate cease-fire, a lifting of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, and the protection of Palestinian civilians.
The US defended its veto by asserting that the resolution was biased against Israel and did not address the root causes of the conflict. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the resolution was “grossly one-sided” and failed to mention Hamas’s rocket attacks on Israeli civilians or its use of tunnels to infiltrate Israel. She also noted that the resolution did not call for the recognition of Israel’s right to exist.
The US also argued that the resolution would not have helped to bring about a lasting peace. Ambassador Haley noted that the resolution was silent on the need for Hamas to disarm and recognize Israel’s right to exist. She argued that the resolution would not have addressed the long-term issues facing Israel and Palestine, such as the status of Jerusalem and the future of the two-state solution.
The US decision to veto the resolution has been met with criticism from many in the international community. Many have argued that the US decision is contrary to international law and will only serve to prolong the conflict and exacerbate the suffering of the people in Gaza.
Despite the criticism, the US has remained firm in its decision to veto the resolution. Ambassador Haley has argued that the US is committed to finding a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that it is “not going to accept a one-sided solution.” She has also noted that the US is committed to supporting Israel’s right to self-defense and to protecting the lives of innocent civilians.
The US veto has sparked a debate over the role of the United Nations in the Middle East. Some have argued that the veto was a sign of US bias towards Israel and that the UN should play a more active role in promoting peace and security in the region. Others have argued that the US veto was a necessary step to prevent a resolution that would not have helped to bring about a lasting peace.
Whatever the merits of the US veto, the resolution has failed to pass and the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues. The US has indicated that it is willing to work with the international community to find a lasting solution to the conflict, but it is unclear how this can be achieved. In the meantime, the people of Gaza continue to suffer from the violence and instability of the conflict.
