United Nations, January 20.- The United States delegation today vetoed the draft resolution presented by Algeria in the Security Council for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the only vote against.
The proposal, which received 13 favorable votes and the abstention of the United Kingdom, also rejected the forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population in violation of international law and demanded the immediate end of these violations and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
It also called for unrestricted humanitarian access to and throughout the Gaza Strip.
The Security Council “cannot afford the luxury of passivity” in the face of the emergency in the enclave, Amar Benjama, permanent ambassador of Algeria to the United Nations and in charge of presenting the draft, said before the vote.
The North American representation continues to insist that the Council not interfere with its plans and grants Israel a license to kill, stated the Russian representative, Vassily Nebenzia.
“We call on Council members to counter Washington's lawlessness. “Public opinion will no longer forgive the Security Council for its inaction,” he further warned.
However, the North American ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, insisted that the approval of the Algerian proposal could put the ongoing negotiations at risk.
This draft will not bring lasting peace, but will expand the captivity of the hostages and the humanitarian crisis, the diplomat justified when announcing that the delegation will present its own proposal "which would aim at a temporary ceasefire based on the formula that all hostages are released.”
This is the third time that the Security Council, whose resolutions are binding, has failed to reach a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza because of the US veto.
In the opinion of the Chinese representative, the use of this exclusive resource of the permanent members – China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Russia – sends the wrong message, pushing Gaza further into the crisis at a time when the Palestinians are fighting on the verge of death.
After the failure of this new attempt, the General Assembly will organize a special emergency session to analyze the veto. (PL) (Photo: @HoyPalestina)
