A yes vote “endangers the ongoing delicate negotiations” and it would be “irresponsible” to vote today, the US ambassador says
There were no surprises. The proposed resolution presented by Algeria The United Nations' call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza was rejected by the United States. “This is not the time”said Washington's UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield Solomonically, justifying her decision with the existence of further ongoing negotiations with Israel.
The United States government and several countries in the region, such as Egypt – which borders Gaza – have tried this negotiate unsuccessfully with Israel, so that this country suspend its military operations in Rafah, in the extreme south of this territory, which, apart from the constant bombing of the Israeli Air Force, is the only area not directly affected by military operations. Of the 15 countries that make up the Council, 13 voted for it, Great Britain abstained from voting And The United States voted against it.
In return, USA has presented Your own draft resolutionwhich calls for “a ceasefire as soon as possible”, which suggests that Israel would have time to decide when it would take place. The Joe Biden administration's project would also be the first UN resolution since the outbreak of war that condemns the terrorist group Hamas. In recent days, relations between the United States and Israel have deteriorated significantly due to Tel Aviv's complete refusal to halt military operations.
The government of The USA pays approximately andA third of Israel's military effortand practice all weapons that Israel receives are Made in the USA or have American technology. Biden's team has considered formally recognizing the Palestinian state or having the president travel to Israel and address that country's parliament and disqualify Netanyahu, as he did with Barack Obama in Washington in 2015. But in practice, the US only decided to deliver 2,000 aerial bombs to Israel.
It is not clear how much support Washington's draft resolution would receive, although one thing is clear: Israel does not support it either. The Tel Aviv government called any attempt to negotiate with Hamas “delusional” and “illusory” and flatly rejected a ceasefire.
So far the war has caused around 30,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Hamas. 24,000 are civilians. Israel, for its part, suffered the deaths of 235 soldiers. There are a few things to add to this number 1,400 dead in Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, which started the war, including around 1,000 civilians.
The US veto was sharply criticized by the other members of the Security Council. Even Britain, which abstained, called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” as a first step toward a permanent ceasefire to prevent a “devastating humanitarian crisis.”