UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The United States on Tuesday vetoed a United Nations resolution backed by Arab states calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. israel-hamas war in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The 15-member Security Council voted 13-1, with Britain abstaining, after Hamas's surprise invasion of southern Israel, which left around 1,200 people dead and 250 others taken hostage. . Since then, more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military strikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but says the majority are women and children. There is.
This is the third time the United States has vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Biden administration has said it intends to veto the resolution, out of concern that it will undermine efforts to reach an agreement between the warring parties to halt fighting for at least six weeks and release all hostages. Was.
In a surprising move ahead of the vote, The United States distributed a counter-UN Security Council resolution It supports a temporary ceasefire in Gaza related to the release of all hostages and calls for the lifting of all restrictions on the provision of humanitarian aid. A draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press says all of these actions “will help create conditions for a sustained cessation of hostilities.”
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is “an effective mechanism to try to accomplish three things that we want to see happen: hostage rescue, more aid, and a long-term halt to military operations.” “No,” he told several reporters. This conflict. ”
“What we are considering is another possible option and we will discuss this with our friends in the future,” Wood said of the U.S. draft. “I don't think anything will happen tomorrow.”
A senior U.S. official said late Monday that “we do not believe in rushing the vote.” “We will be engaged in intensive negotiations on the draft over the next few days,” the official said on condition of anonymity ahead of the board's discussion of the U.S. draft. We have not, but we recognize the urgency of the situation.”
Arab countries, with support from many of the 193 United Nations member states, calls for a months-long ceasefire.
Tunisia's U.N. Ambassador Tarek Radev, who chairs the 22-nation Arab Group this month, told U.N. reporters last Wednesday that a ceasefire is urgently needed.
He said the approximately 1.5 million Palestinians seeking safety in the southern Gaza city of Rafah would face a “catastrophic scenario” if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan is enforced. evacuate civilians Withdraw from the city and shift Israeli military attacks to areas bordering Egypt, where Israel claims Hamas fighters are hiding.
In addition to the current ceasefire, the Arab-backed draft resolution calls for the immediate release of all hostages, rejects the forced evacuation of Palestinian civilians, unhindered humanitarian access Implementing across Gaza, the Council reiterates its call for Israel and Hamas to “strictly comply” with international law, particularly the protection of civilians.Condemns “all acts of terrorism” without naming either party
The draft US resolution sends a stark message to Israel: Israel's planned large-scale ground offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under the current circumstances.” It warns that further displacement of civilians, “including an influx into neighboring countries,” referring to Egypt, would have serious implications for peace and security in the region.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield explained in a statement Sunday that the United States has been working on a hostage trade for several months. He said US President Joe Biden had made a number of phone calls last week with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to push for a deal.
“While gaps remain, key elements remain on the table,” she said, adding that the deal still requires a sustained pause in freeing hostages and delivering life-saving aid to poor Palestinians. He said it was the best opportunity possible.
The 15 members of the Security Council have been negotiating a pro-Arab resolution for three weeks. Algeria, the Arab representative on the Security Council, postponed the vote at the request of the United States during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to the region in hopes of a hostage deal. But Qatar said on Saturday: Negotiations are “not progressing” As I expected. ” And the Arab group decided over the weekend that it had given the United States enough time to finalize the resolution for a vote.
It remains to be seen what will happen after the US vetoes it. The Arab group could submit the resolution to the United Nations General Assembly, which includes all 193 member states, and it is virtually certain it will be approved there. However, unlike Security Council resolutions, parliamentary resolutions are not legally binding.
The Security Council could then begin debating a longer U.S. resolution that would, for the first time, condemn not only Hamas's Oct. 7 attack but also hostage-taking, killings and “sexual violence, including murder and rape.” Highly sexual. Some council members blocked condemnation of Hamas in two previous council resolutions on Gaza.
The U.S. draft does not mention Israel by name, but in a clear reference, the draft “condemns calls by government ministers for resettlement in Gaza and condemns the We reject any attempt at change.”
