In another diplomatic standoff at the United Nations Security Council, the United States wielded its veto power on Tuesday, blocking an Algerian-drafted resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
This marks the third instance of a US veto on a draft resolution since the commencement of the hostilities on October 7, with a previous use of veto in December to thwart a resolution.
The Algerian-drafted text garnered support from thirteen council members, while Britain chose to abstain from the vote. The proposed resolution did not tie the call for a ceasefire to the release of hostages held by Hamas, instead separately emphasizing the necessity for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages.
Before the vote, Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama made a compelling case for the resolution, stating, “A vote in favour of this draft resolution is support to the Palestinians’ right to life. Conversely, voting against it implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflicted upon them.”
US Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in anticipation of the veto, had already signalled the US’s intent to block the resolution. She expressed concerns that the proposed resolution could jeopardize talks involving the US, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar aimed at brokering a temporary ceasefire in the conflict, linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Thomas-Greenfield argued, “Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace. Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel.”
Following the veto, Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour criticized the move, contending that “the message given today to Israel with this veto is that it can continue to get away with murder.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan downplayed the significance of the term “ceasefire,” stating that it is being mentioned “as if it is a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the region’s problems.”
Erdan said to the council, “A ceasefire achieves one thing and one thing only – the survival of Hamas. A ceasefire is a death sentence for many more Israelis and Gazans.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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