China-Russia Veto US Resolution On Israel-Palestine Conflict Ceasefire

News Desk

United Nations: “The US draft does not reflect the world’s strongest calls for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, and it does not help resolve the issue,” said China’s United Nations Ambassador Zhang Jun at the Security Council.

At this moment, ceasefire is not just a diplomatic term. It means the life and death of many civilians, the Chinese envoy added.

China and Russia vetoed a U.S. resolution at the Security Council that would have condemned Hamas, called for the release of hostages in Gaza, and allowed for “humanitarian pauses” in the raging Israel-Palestine conflict to aid civilians.

Russia, China veto US-led Security Council resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” and safe passage of relief into Gaza

For: 10 (Albania, France, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, UK, US)
Against: 3 (Russia, China, UAE)
Abstain: 2 (Brazil , Mozambique) pic.twitter.com/FF74Elpcrs

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 25, 2023

A negative vote from any one of the five permanent members of the Council stops action on any measure put before it. The permanent members are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the U.S. measure did not call for a cease-fire in the raging conflict nor bar Israel from its ground operations in Gaza.

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward said that Russia’s draft failed to recognise Israel’s right to self-defence.

“We did listen to all of you,” told U.S. Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield after the double veto which she described as disappointing. “Though today’s vote was a setback, we must not be deterred,” she added.

In the wake of the Security Council deadlock, the General Assembly will vote on Friday on a draft resolution put forward by Arab states that calls for a ceasefire.

No country holds a veto in the General Assembly but its resolutions are non-binding, although they carry political weight.

Security Council fails to adopt Russia-led resolution urging “humanitarian ceasefire” & unhindered aid into Gaza; insufficient Yes votes

For: 4 (China, Gabon, Russia, UAE)
Against: 2 (UK,US)
Abst.: 9 (Albania, Brazil,Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland) pic.twitter.com/p1lMoY80hy

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 25, 2023

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has all along called for a humanitarian ceasefire, a call Israel and its closest ally, the U.S., do not support, as the Tel Aviv regime pushes ahead to achieve its objective of completely destroying Hamas.

Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdin argued that his country continues to be attacked from the north and south and asked Council members how they would feel if faced with this reality.

“You would feel there is a blatant double standard and the Council isn’t taking even the most basic steps anyone with a slight moral compass should take. This is precisely how the State of Israel feels right now,” claimed Erdin.

Both Wednesday’s drafts condemned the terror attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians on October 7 and urged action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where fuel is due to run out for hospitals and other crucial services in a matter of hours, according to UN agencies on the ground.

Key differences in the text included a specific mention in the US-backed proposal of states’ inherent right to self-defence and a call in the Russian-led one for the immediate cancellation by Israeli forces of the evacuation order for civilians to head into southern Gaza. APP