The United States vetoed on Wednesday a UN Security Council resolution that called for “humanitarian pauses” aimed at delivering “lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza”, the United Nations website reported.
12 of the UNSC’s 15 members voted in favor of the text, introduced by Brazil. The United States voted against it and two members, Russia and the United Kingdom, abstained.
By enabling Israel’s brutality, the US is ultimately responsible for the bombing of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has declared.https://t.co/80ZETcf86M pic.twitter.com/HEJKUvRFrG
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 18, 2023
While the UK abstained because of its continued support of Israel’s so-called ‘right to defend itself,’ Russia abstained for a different reason.
“Prior to the vote, two amendments proposed by Russia, calling for an immediate, durable and full ceasefire, and to stop attacks against civilians were rejected by the Security Council,” according to the UN News website.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia explained that the resolution draft had “no clear call for a ceasefire”, therefore “will not help to stop the bloodshed”.
#US President Joe #Biden has told #Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu that he believed Tel Aviv’s assurances that it was not responsible for the strike on al-Ahli Hospital in #Gaza City on Tuesday night.https://t.co/9qda52b1T1 pic.twitter.com/uGeQXAYAf7
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 18, 2023
“If (Russia’s amendments) are not included in the current draft, it would not help to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and polarize positions of the international community,” he said.
However, the US decided to use its veto power to block the Brazil-led resolution.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reportedly justified the decision by saying that “this resolution did not mention Israel’s right of self-defense.”
(PC, UN News)
