The US again blocked a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza 0
(Dan Tri) – The US continues to veto the United Nations Security Council’s draft resolution on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, thereby blocking calls for an immediate ceasefire.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield cast a veto vote at the UN Security Council meeting on February 20 (Photo: AFP).
Arab countries, led by Algeria, submitted this draft to a vote on February 20 even though they knew it would not be approved.
The US was also the only country to vote against, while the UK abstained.
For a resolution to be passed at the Security Council, there needs to be at least 9 votes in favor and none of the five permanent members – including the US, UK, France, Russia or China – should use a veto.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US vetoed this resolution because it was worried it would threaten negotiations between the US, Egypt, Israel and Qatar on halting the war and releasing the children.
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield rejected claims that the veto was an attempt by the United States to cover for Israel’s planned attack on the southernmost city of Rafah in Gaza.
When introducing the resolution on February 20, Algerian Ambassador to the United Nations Amar Bendjama said that the Council `must not be passive` in the face of what is happening in Gaza.
`Voting against the resolution implies endorsement of brutal violence and collective punishment against the Palestinian people,` Al Jazeera quoted him as saying.
On January 21, Xinhua quoted Chinese representative at the United Nations Zhang Jun as saying that China expressed `deep disappointment` at the US blocking the above draft resolution.
`China expressed strong disappointment and dissatisfaction with the US veto,` Xinhua quoted Mr. Zhang Jun as saying.
Mr. Zhang Jun added that opposing the ceasefire in Gaza `is no different from giving a green light to continue the massacre`.
Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun speaks during the Security Council meeting on Gaza on December 8, 2023 (Photo: AFP).
On February 19, the US said it had proposed a draft resolution opposing Algeria’s text.
`The Algerian draft has been under negotiation for weeks,` Al Jazeera journalist James Bays said.
Mr. Bays said it is currently unclear whether the US draft will be put to a vote before the Security Council and when that will happen.
But he pointed out that in the version previewed by Al Jazeera, `the US language is softer… for the first time the US uses the word ‘ceasefire’ which was previously very controversial for the US`.
Before that, Washington still avoided the word `ceasefire` in all UN documents talking about the war in Gaza.
According to the US draft, the Security Council `emphasized its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, based on the formula for the release of all hostages, and called for the lifting of all
Meanwhile, the resolution drafted by Algeria calls for an `immediate` humanitarian ceasefire, based on an order issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month.
The ICJ’s order forces Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, and also implicitly requires Hamas to immediately release all hostages unconditionally.
Washington often defends Israel at the United Nations.
