US vetoes Security Council resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza

UNITED NATIONS - The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing harsh criticism from most of the UN members.

The draft, put forward by the council's 10 non-permanent members, demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

The 15-member council voted 14-1 in favor of the resolution, and the United States used its veto as a permanent council member to block it.

Speaking after the vote, Robert Wood, deputy US ambassador to the United Nations, said that Washington had made clear it would only support a resolution that explicitly calls for the immediate release of hostages as part of a ceasefire.

"The resolution would have sent a dangerous message to Hamas that there was no need to come back to the negotiating table," he said.

The US move to block the resolution drew harsh criticism from most of the members.

Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said it is "shocking" that the United States vetoed an effort to save Palestinian and Israeli lives, though "we should not be surprised."

He lamented that for months, the United States has obstructed and stood in the way of the council action to address the catastrophic situation in Gaza and played on one side of the conflict to advance its own political objectives at the expense of Palestinian lives.

"It is a sad day for the Security Council, for the United Nations and the international community as a whole," Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council members.

It has been five months since the adoption of resolution 2735, during which the Security Council remained idle and hand-tied, he added, noting that the draft resolution was far from ideal, but it represented "the bare minimum that should have united us."

"Today's message is clear to the Israeli occupying power -- you may continue your genocide ... with complete impunity. In this Chamber, you enjoy immunity," Bendjama said.

"To the Palestinian people, it is another clear message -- while the overwhelming majority of the world stands in solidarity with your plight, others remain indifferent to your suffering," he added.

Majed Bamya, deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine, said that there is "no right" to the mass killing of civilians, starve an entire civilian population, forcibly displace them and annexation.

"This is what Israel is doing in Gaza. These are its war objectives. This is what the absence of a ceasefire is allowing it to continue doing," he said, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the region.

"It is deeply regretted that due to the use of the veto this council has once again failed to uphold its responsibility to maintain international peace and security," Malta's Ambassador Vanessa Frazier said after voting.

"It represented the bare minimum of what is needed to begin to address the desperate situation on the ground," she added.

Guyana's Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said that the suffering of Palestinians must end, adding that her country would continue to work with fellow council members to try to achieve tomorrow what could not be achieved today.