The U.S. had proposed significant amendments to the resolution, including condemnation of Hamas attacks on October 7. Britain abstained due to the absence of condemnation for Hamas
On Friday at the United Nations Security Council, the United States vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. The resolution, put forward by the United Arab Emirates, received support from thirteen members, while Britain abstained from voting.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier warned the council of a global threat arising from the prolonged two-month war. The U.S. and Israel opposed the ceasefire, expressing concerns that it would only benefit Hamas. Deputy U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood criticised the draft resolution as imbalanced and divorced from reality, stating that it wouldn’t bring tangible progress on the ground.
“What is the message we are sending Palestinians if we cannot unite behind a call to halt the relentless bombardment of Gaza?” Deputy UAE U.N. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab questioned the council.
The U.S. had proposed significant amendments to the resolution, including condemnation of Hamas attacks on October 7. Britain abstained due to the absence of condemnation for Hamas. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged a gap between Israel’s intent to protect civilians and the situation on the ground, with over 17,480 people reported killed in Gaza.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the council that the draft resolution was an imbalanced text “that was divorced from reality, that would not move the needle forward on the ground in any concrete way.”
“Although the United States strongly supports a durable peace in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security, we do not support this resolution’s call for an unsustainable ceasefire that will only plant the seeds for the next war,” said Wood.
While the U.S. prefers its own diplomacy to address the situation, Guterres emphasised the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, describing it as a “spiralling nightmare.” Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, argued for continued support for Israel’s mission rather than calling for a ceasefire. The Security Council had earlier called for pauses in fighting to facilitate aid access to Gaza, but the situation remains complex and challenging.
