As Israel launched its scorched-earth offensive on Gaza City, the United States vetoed a crucial UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.
The resolution called for the immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all captives held by Hamas and other organizations, and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza, and was approved by 14 of the 15 council members on Thursday.
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The resolution, which was approved by the council’s 10 elected members, went further than previous iterations to highlight what diplomats have called the Gaza Strip’s nearly two-year war, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 65, 141 people, according to Palestinian health officials.
The effort was vetoed by the United States, as was expected. Morgan Ortagus, the US deputy special envoy to the Middle East, predicted that the US’s opposition to this resolution would come as no surprise.
It wrongly legitimises the false narratives benefiting Hamas, which have sadly found their way into this council, and it fails to condemn Hamas or acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself.
Ortagus praised the efforts of the heavily militarized GHF hubs, where so many Palestinians have been killed while attempting to feed their families, as well as the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification’s official declaration of famine in the enclave last month.
The US veto, according to the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, was “deeply regrettable” and had prevented “the Security Council from playing its rightful role , in the face of these atrocities and to protect civilians in the face of genocide.”
The Council, Mansour continued, “maintains a low level of silence that threatens its credibility and authority.” The use of the veto should simply not be permitted when it comes to atrocity crimes, according to the statement.
Amar Bendjama, the UN ambassador to Algeria, also spoke passionately. He pleaded with “Palestinian brothers, Palestinian sisters, forgive us.”
“Forgive us because the world denies Palestinians the rights they do. Please forgive us because this wall of rejection was shattered by our efforts, our sincere efforts.
He noted that more than 18 000 children and 12 000 women were killed in the Gaza war, as were more than 250 journalists and more than 1,400 doctors and nurses. He continued, noting that Israel was “immune” because of the “bias of the international system,” but that it was “immune” rather than due to international law.
Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, claimed that Israel needed “no justification” for its conflict with Gaza. He thanked Ortagus for enforcing its US veto.
The vote, according to James Bays, Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor, was a “sombre” moment on the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, with many nations supporting “multilateral diplomacy” while the US insisted on an “America-first view of the world.”
He claimed that the United Nations had cut a significant portion of the humanitarian funding it provided, which had caused the organization to reach one of its lowest points in its 80-year history.
“Lost generation”
Israel appears to be trying to sabotage any chance of a ceasefire with its ground offensive in Gaza City, which started on Tuesday.
The Israeli military hasn’t provided a specific date for the offensive, though there are indications that it could take months. It has been stated numerous times that it wants to completely overthrow Hamas.
A team of independent experts released a report on Tuesday that Israel is planning a genocide in Gaza with the goal of “destroying” the Palestinians.
Prior to Thursday’s vote, Israel’s Danon had stated on X that the resolution would “not bring peace nor release the hostages.”
Israel, he said, would “continue to fight Hamas and protect its citizens, even if the Security Council prefers to ignore the terror.”
Christina Markus Lassen, the Danish ambassador to the UN, highlighted the magnitude of the man-made famine in Israel. She said, “Dad mothers are forced to boil leaves for their children, and fathers search the rubble for food.”
Source: Aljazeera
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