The UN Security Council met today on the situation in Gaza to discuss a resolution presented by the Arab Group for an "immediate" ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which was, however, rejected due to the US veto.
Great Britain abstained.
13 members of the Council voted in favor.
The United States, which yesterday circulated a draft alternative resolution in which, among other things, asks Israel not to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, has announced a veto on the draft, which also calls for the release of all the hostages and "scrupulous" compliance with measures to protect civilians.
The American permanent representative to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, before vetoing the draft on today's agenda, said that the Arab resolution would negatively influence, if adopted, the delicate ongoing negotiations which represent "the only" path to peace lasting in the region.
The diplomat officially announced Washington's plan for an alternative resolution: "There are many things we can agree on", said Thomas-Greenfield, calling for a ceasefire "as soon as practically possible", the first condemnation of Hamas in a Security Council resolution and a warning to Israel not to launch a ground offensive on Rafah.
The "immediate ceasefire", as called for in the Arab resolution, "would give cover to Hamas not to release all the hostages", underlined Thomas Greenfield, speaking to journalists outside the Security Council.
Explaining other reasons that led Washington to put the veto, he observed that "the condemnation of Hamas should be contained in every UN resolution on Gaza", even if almost all the members expressed themselves in this sense in the explanations of vote. his colleagues in the Security Council.
Thomas-Greenfield added that "every life matters" in Gaza and that is why "Washington is working on the ground 24 hours a day, seven days a day" to arrive at a solution: "Nobody else is doing it," he added. added the ambassador".
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London abstains, Paris votes yes
"Hostages outside and aid inside": this is the precondition that Great Britain places on the ceasefire in Gaza.
London abstained on the Arab Security Council resolution which Washington vetoed.
"The ongoing negotiations on the release of the hostages are crucial," British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said after the Security Council vote, also stressing that Hamas "should no longer be in power in Gaza" and "should not be in a position to do what he did on October 7th."
For France, however, the human cost of the crisis in Gaza is "intolerable", which is why Paris voted in favor of the Arab resolution which the US vetoed.
"Israel must stop," French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said after the vote, admitting that "it is incomprehensible" that the Security Council "is unable to condemn Hamas."
For Moscow, the American proposal is 'not practical'
The US proposal on Gaza for Russia is "not a viable alternative".
The Russian permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said it in advance rejecting Washington's new initiative.
"Washington is in bad faith, it just wants to buy time," said Nebenzya after the US veto which sent the new
Arab resolution on the back burner.
According to Moscow, the text announced today in the Security Council by
American Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield "does not call for an immediate ceasefire, only a temporary truce and only when conditions
are ripe"
Hamas, 'Green light for Israel for further massacres'
Hamas has condemned the US decision to veto the UN Security Council's call for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying this amounts to giving Israel the "green light" to carry out "further massacres".
"This veto serves the agenda of the Israeli occupation, hinders international efforts to stop the aggression and increases the suffering of our people," Hamas said in a statement. "The American position is the green light for
the occupation to commit further massacres".
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