UNITED NATIONS: The United States has once again exercised its veto power to block a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
This action shielded Israel from significant diplomatic pressure while the other fourteen council members supported the resolution.
The resolution was initiated in August following the UN’s official declaration of famine after nearly two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory.
The vote occurred as Israeli military forces intensified their operations in Gaza City, prompting a new wave of civilian displacement southward.
The resolution text demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties, along with the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The United States has repeatedly rejected this approach, having previously used its veto for the same purpose in June.
Denmark’s UN ambassador Christina Lassen urged the council to send a clear message that it was not turning its back on starving civilians, hostages, and the demand for a ceasefire.
She warned that a generation risks being lost not only to war but to hunger and despair, with Israel’s expanded military operation further deepening civilian suffering.
Pakistan’s ambassador Asim Ahmad described the US veto as a dark moment in the chamber, stating that the world is watching and the cries of children should pierce hearts.
The previous US veto had provoked unusual anger from other council members, who expressed growing frustration over their inability to pressure Israel to alleviate the suffering in Gaza.
A UN-mandated international investigative commission independently accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza since October 2023 with the intent to destroy the Palestinian people.
This issue is expected to be central to next week’s annual UN summit in New York. Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon condemned the resolution, stating that for some council members it was a performance, but for Israel it was a daily reality, and the proposal lacked condemnation of Hamas or the October 7 massacre.
Danon repeatedly sparred with Algeria’s ambassador Amar Bendjama, who asked the Palestinian people to forgive the council for its failure to save their children, describing their sincere efforts as shattered against a wall of rejection. – AFP