US Veto in UN Security Council resolution on ceasefire in Gaza Strip

The UN Security Council met today (20.11.2024) on the issue of ceasefire in and the attempt to deescalate tension in the region between Israel and Hamas, but they had another view. The resolution on the Gaza Strip was proposed by the 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, passed by all (15 members) of the institution, except the US, who vetoed and voted against. In particular, the resolution called for ‘direct, unconditional and permanent ceasefire’ and separately ‘the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages’. Eventually, he received 14 votes in favour and one against, had provoked Israel’s anger in advance. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid What the US has supported This text “is nothing but a betrayal”, Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Dannon denounced shortly before the vote, counting on Washington to block the resolution that would mean for him “abandonment” of hostages. A high-ranking American official, who spoke before the vote to reporters on condition not to be named, said the US would only support a resolution that explicitly calls for the immediate release of hostages as part of the ceasefire. “ As we have stated many times before, we simply cannot support an unconditional ceasefire that does not require immediate release of hostages, ” the official said. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid The background Before the vote, Britain proposed changes to the text of the resolution so that the US would support it, but these changes were rejected, the American official said. Some of the 10 elected members of the Security Council are more interested in vetoing the US than compromises in the resolution, the official noted, accusing Russia and China of encouraging these members. “China continued to demand ‘harder language’ and Russia seems to be pulling threads with some (elected) of the 10 members, ” the official continued. Since the start of the war, the UN Security Council has been struggling to reach some consensus, but resolutions have been blocked most of the time by American, but also Russian and Chinese vetoes.