The United States has once again used its veto powers to block a resolution by the United Nations Security Council that is calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group continues.
In a statement, the U.S. ambassador said that a permanent ceasefire prior to the militant group being dismantled would only sow the seeds of another conflict in the future. As the UN Security Council voted on the resolution, civil order continued to break down in Gaza as aid groups have had difficulties delivering supplies.
US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution
The resolution had the support of the majority of the members of the Security Council on Friday. It would have demanded a permanent ceasefire in the embattled region and sides with Israel. The U.S. veto showed that it was siding with its Middle Eastern ally that said putting an end to the war now would only ensure the conflict erupts again sometime in the future.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the majority of the Security Council's members backed the measure. They argued that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where roughly 2.2 million Palestinians live, could threaten world stability, as per the New York Times.
The latest UN Security Council resolution was submitted by the United Arab Emirates, it isolated the United States, which said that it would use its veto power on the Council to once again block any efforts to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
After the vote, Robert A. Wood, who was representing the U.S. on the Security Council, said that he had already tried to negotiate changes to the resolution. However, he noted that nearly all of their recommendations fell on deaf ears.
Wood noted that the recommendations included a condemnation of the Hamas militant group's attack on Israel on Oct. 7, as well as an endorsement of Israel's right to self-defense. The Security Council's newest resolution had 13 supporting votes, with the U.S. the only opposing vote while Britain abstained.
Calling for an Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
The vote on the resolution came after Guterres made a rare move on Wednesday when he formally warned the 15-member council of a global threat from the war that has lasted for two months now, according to Aljazeera.
Wood said that while the U.S. government strongly supports a durable peace where both Israel and Palestine can live in peace and security, they do not support the calls for an immediate ceasefire. He argued that Hamas has no plans to see such a peace or find a two-state solution.
U.S. and Israel have opposed a ceasefire, arguing that it would only work to benefit Hamas. Instead, Washington supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and allow the release of hostages who were taken by the militant group during its initial attack.
Various human rights groups and NGOs swiftly condemned the U.S. decision to veto the Security Council's resolution. In a statement on Friday, Human Rights Watch said that by continuing to provide Israel with weapons and diplomatic cover, the U.S. risks complicity in war crimes, said Politico.
Related Article:
