A resolution that was submitted by the United States and called for a “immediate and lasting ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip was not approved by the United Nations Security Council on Friday. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been going on since October of last year. China, Russia, the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom are the five countries that hold the right to veto decisions made by the Security Council, which has a total of fifteen members. A total of eleven votes were cast in favor of the motion, three votes were cast against it (including Algeria, China, and Russia), and one vote was abstained from (Guyana).
Several different suggestions for a ceasefire in the Strip had already been given over the course of the past few months. However, up until this point, the United States of America, which was the nation that initially offered the motion, had consistently been against it. They put out the argument that the request did not respect Israel’s right to defend itself. Initially, the United States, along with many other Western countries, had fiercely endorsed Israel, which had begun bombing the Strip and eventually invaded it. This was the beginning of the current war, which began following the horrific attack that Hamas carried out against Israel on October 7th.
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, on the other hand, has been deteriorating for several months. This is because the Israeli army has been dropping bombs and launching land attacks on a regular basis, and as a result, the people living in the Strip no longer have anything to eat or drink, the hospitals have stopped functioning, and there is a shortage of virtually everything. More than 30,000 people, the most of whom were civilians, have been murdered in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is run by Hamas terrorists.
The administration of President Joe Biden of the United States of America began to criticize the actions made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, beginning in December. This marked a significant shift in the government’s posture. The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, had specifically called for an immediate ceasefire at the beginning of March. In the middle of March, the majority leader of the United States Senate, Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, publicly criticized Netanyahu by calling for new elections to be organized in Israel. This was the most severe and explicit criticism directed at the Israeli government by a high-level official from the United States.
(Reuters) – The 22nd of March The resolution that was submitted by the United States to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas was rejected by the United Nations Security Council on Friday. This decision was made after Russia and China exercised their right to veto the motion.
In addition, Algeria voted against the resolution, while Guyana did not participate in the voting. The resolution asked for an immediate and continuous ceasefire that would last approximately six weeks, with the goal of protecting civilians and allowing for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Despite the fact that eleven of the fifteen council members voted in favor of the motion, its approval was prevented by the vetoes of Russia and China.
On Monday, at ten o’clock Eastern Daylight Time (1400 GMT), the Security Council will convene in order to vote on an alternate resolution that was authored by elected members of the Security Council, according to a diplomat. According to the diplomat, the vote was supposed to take place on Saturday, but it was actually postponed since conversations were still going on.
A draft copy of this resolution was seen by Reuters, and it calls for an immediate truce throughout the holy month of Ramadan, which is now being observed by Muslims. Additionally, it encourages the release of all hostages and an increase in the amount of humanitarian aid that is provided to Gaza.
The draft does not contain any elements that would support continuing diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire, which is a component of the resolution introduced by the United States. In an effort to mediate a deal, the United States government has been collaborating with Qatar and Egypt.
THE UNITED STATES HAD IMPROVED ITS PHASE
A statement that was put up for a vote on Friday was the first time that Washington had supported a text that used the word “ceasefire” during the conflict in Gaza. This was a reflection of the Biden administration’s tougher posture toward Israel.
In the beginning of the conflict, which had been going on for five months, the United States of America was opposed to the term “ceasefire” and blocked measures that contained calls for an early ceasefire.
“Unfortunately, Russia and China decided to exercise their veto,” said the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, addressing the Security Council. “The vast majority of this council voted in favor of this resolution,” she said.
She stated that Russia and China rejected the resolution for “cynical” and “petty” reasons, and she accused them of doing so. She stated that they were opposed to it solely due to the fact that it was written by the United States, and she condemned both countries for not condemning the attack that Hamas unleashed on Israel on October 7.
“For all the fiery rhetoric, we all know that Russia and China are not doing anything diplomatically to advance a lasting peace or to meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian response effort,” she said the council following the conclusion of the vote.
The United States of America has proposed that any backing for a ceasefire from the Security Council be contingent upon the release of hostages that are being held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel claims that Palestinian Hamas fighters carried out an attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 253 others.
According to health authorities in the enclave that is run by Hamas, Israel’s following offensive in the Gaza Strip has resulted in the deaths of nearly 32,000 Palestinians.
RUSSIA AND CHINA ARE OBJECTIVE TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, stated that the resolution that was led by the United States was “exceedingly politicized” and contained an effective green light for Israel to mount a military operation in Rafah, which is a city located on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip. More than half of the 2.3 million residents of the enclave have been taking refuge in makeshift tents.
“This would free the hands of Israel and it would result in all of Gaza and its entire population having to face destruction, devastation, or expulsion,” Nebenzia stated during the discussion.
He stated that a number of non-permanent members of the Security Council had produced an alternative resolution, and he stated that there was no reason for members to not endorse the resolution.
Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, voiced his disapproval of the statement that was submitted by the United States since it did not expressly state China’s opposition to a planned military operation by Israel in Rafah. Zhang Jun stated that such an operation might have catastrophic repercussions. The option was also endorsed by Beijing, according to him.
However, according to Thomas-Greenfield, such measure was insufficient.
“That text, in its current form, does not sufficiently support diplomatic efforts that are sensitive in the region. In addition to this, it might really provide Hamas with a reason to withdraw from the agreement that is currently being discussed, she stated.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that his country would collaborate with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates in order to convince Russia and China to support yet another alternative resolution at the United Nations for a ceasefire in Gaza. This resolution would establish a ceasefire in Gaza.