UNSC: For the third time, the US administration blocks a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
A state of anger prevailed in the Security Council after the United States decided to use its veto against a draft resolution demanding a halt to the war on Gaza for humanitarian reasons after negotiations that lasted approximately a mon
th.
The Russian delegate to the United Nations, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia, said during a council session to vote on a draft resolution demanding an end to the war on Gaza, that Washington continues to grant Israel a “license to kill.”
He added that Algeria organized discussions in good faith to issue its draft resolution, but the United States actually issued an ultimatum, arguing that the draft resolution was dangerous because it would obstruct the ongoing talks.
The Russian delegate added that Washington continues to insist that the Council not interfere in American plans, pointing out that the United States has used its veto power against similar draft resolutions in the past.
He said, "We call on Council members to confront Washington's chaos," warning that "public opinion will no longer forgive the Security Council for its failure to act."
In turn, the Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zhang Jun, said that the United States’ use of the veto sends the wrong message and pushes Gaza into a further crisis, and it is absolutely unreasonable for the United States to claim that the draft resolution jeopardizes the ongoing talks.
He added that in the meantime, violence is destabilizing the entire region, and the Council must move quickly to stop the massacre, stressing that the Council must maintain international order and demand a ceasefire, and this is its legal responsibility.
The French delegate to the United Nations, Nicolas de Rivière, also expressed his regret at noting that the draft resolution could not be adopted, given the catastrophic situation on the ground.
"There is an extremely urgent need to reach, without further delay, an agreement on a ceasefire that ultimately guarantees the protection of all civilians and the entry of emergency aid in large quantities," De Rivière said.
The French delegate stressed that "the human losses and humanitarian situation in Gaza are unbearable and Israeli operations must end."
For his part, the Japanese delegate to the United Nations, Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki, said that "a humanitarian ceasefire must be achieved immediately in a way that ensures a conducive environment for adequate humanitarian assistance activities," calling on all parties concerned to take immediate action from a humanitarian standpoint.
Sierra Leone's representative, Michel Imran Kanu, said that his delegation voted in favor of the draft resolution because it is necessary to reach an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, and the Council is mandated to act quickly and effectively.
The Algerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ammar Benjameh, said today in a speech before the Council before voting on the draft resolution that the draft resolution that his country submitted to the Security Council was the result of extensive discussions.
The Algerian delegate added that this draft symbolizes the truth, stressing that “a positive vote on the draft gives hope to hundreds of thousands of children to return to school and enjoy the right to education, and on the other hand, a vote against the draft resolution is a vote in favor of exterminating their dream of a better life.” .
He said, "The international community must move quickly, because the value of the ceasefire is diminishing with every moment."
He added, "We are rapidly approaching a critical juncture where the call to stop the machine of violence is losing its importance." He continued, "Today, every Palestinian is a target for death, extermination, and genocide. Each one of us decides where we stand in this tragic chapter of history."
The level of violence against the civilian population in Palestine is unprecedented with UN agency expressed alarm over reports of sexual violence against Palestinian women at the hands of Israeli officers.
Leaders from Arab and Muslim countries react to the US veto"
Outside the UNSC, leaders of Arab countries and organizations rejected the United States' use of its veto in the Security Council against the draft Arab resolution submitted by Algeria to stop the Israeli war raging in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, since last October 7.
This came in separate statements issued by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation against the backdrop of Washington's use of its veto for the third time, against the draft resolution submitted by Algeria on behalf of the Arab group.
Qatar expressed - in a statement to the Foreign Ministry - its deep regret for obstructing the Arab draft resolution, stressing that "the ongoing brutal aggression against Gaza exposes, time after time, the double standards and divergent positions of the international community regarding the systematic war crimes practiced by the Israeli occupation."
The Ministry stressed that the State of Qatar will continue its efforts in cooperation with regional and international partners to achieve an immediate ceasefire, protect civilians, and facilitate the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as working to prevent the expansion of the war in the region.
In a statement to the Foreign Ministry, Saudi Arabia expressed its regret over the veto of the draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The Kingdom stressed that "there is a need more than ever to reform the Security Council, to carry out its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security with credibility and without double standards."
Saudi Arabia warned of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings, and the escalation of military operations that threaten international peace and security, according to the same statement.
Kuwait also expressed - in a statement to the Foreign Ministry - its regret for using its veto power again in the Security Council, warning of the consequences of the continued deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the continued shedding of civilian blood from the Palestinian people.
She stressed that the failure of the Security Council to adopt the draft resolution unfortunately reflects the magnitude of the challenges facing the international will, which requires rapid action to confront them to ensure that it is able to carry out its basic duties of maintaining international peace and security.
The Sultanate of Oman also expressed - in a statement to the Foreign Ministry - its regret and denunciation of the failure of the United Nations Security Council to issue a ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the repeated use of the veto.
She stressed that she will continue her call on the international community and the Security Council to facilitate all initiatives calling for an immediate ceasefire in the region and for the Council not to stand in the way of peace.
On Tuesday evening, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed its deep regret and rejection of the repeated inability of the Security Council.
Egypt affirmed that “obstructing the issuance of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in an armed conflict that claimed the lives of more than 29,000 civilians is a shameful precedent in the history of the Security Council’s dealings with wars throughout history.”
Egypt stressed that "this matter has called into question the credibility of the rules and working mechanisms of the current international system, especially the Security Council, which is entrusted with the responsibility of preventing and settling conflicts and stopping wars."
She stressed that she will continue to demand an immediate ceasefire, as it is the best way to ensure the bloodshed of Palestinian civilians.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry also expressed, in a statement, its regret and disappointment over the failure of the Security Council once again to adopt a ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip as a result of the United States’ use of its veto.
It considered that the inability of the Security Council, for the third time, to issue a resolution to stop the raging war on Gaza, reflects the international inability to stop the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the senseless war of aggression that Israel insists on continuing.
In a related context, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed in a statement its deep regret over the failure of the UN Security Council to adopt the draft resolution to stop the aggression and the use of the United States’ veto.
She stressed that this reflects negatively on the role of the Security Council in maintaining international peace and security, protecting civilians, and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, denounced in a statement the United States’ use of its veto, stressing that this clearly indicates its political and moral responsibility for the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
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