IRIA News

Russia and China vetoed a draft resolution presented by the United States at the UN Security Council on March 22, 2024. The resolution stated the “imperative” for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” in Gaza and urged for “the release of all remaining hostages” held by Hamas.

The draft presented to the UN Security Council received 11 affirmative votes, with three opposing votes from Russia, China, and Algeria, and one abstention from Guyana. Both Russia and China utilized their veto power to block the resolution which linked a ceasefire in Gaza to the release of hostages by Hamas.

China and Russia opposed the United States’ insistence on a conditional ceasefire. Rather than supporting the unconditional ceasefire resolution demanded by Russia and China, The U.S. has connected with a hostage agreement and condemnation of Hamas. This marks the fourth occasion where the Security Council failed to reach a consensus on a resolution advocating for a ceasefire since the war began in October 2023.

A U.S.-sponsored ceasefire resolution is a pivotal event as the United States itself has singlehandedly blocked three resolutions calling for a ceasefire, including the latest one backed by Arab nations and supported by 13 council members, with one abstention. The U.S. was the only member of the UN Security Council to veto the ceasefire resolution last month.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, expressed that the U.S.’s draft was overly politicized and effectively provided access to the Israeli forces to conduct a military operation in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where over 1.5 million Palestinians seek shelter.

Nebenzia highlighted that there was no call for an actual ceasefire in the resolution’s text and accused the U.S. leadership of “deliberately misleading the international community.” He told fellow ambassadors that if they passed the resolution, “you will cover yourselves in disgrace.”

The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, remarked that Russia’s veto of the resolution shows its prioritized politics over progress. She further criticized both Russia and China for their lack of meaningful contributions to advancing peace efforts.

The second reason behind this veto is not just cynical, it is also petty,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “Russia and China simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the United States because they would rather see us fail than to see this council succeed.”

The UK’s representative to the Security Council Dame Barbara Woodward also expressed disappointment that Russia and China did not support the U.S. draft resolution. Woodward said that the UK had voted in favor of an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” to secure the release of Israeli hostages and to discourage a ground offensive into Rafah.

Woodward emphasized that the UK remains committed to delivering aid to Gaza and will persist in its efforts. However, she stressed that an immediate halt to hostilities is essential to facilitate the necessary aid delivery to the enclave.

Another resolution, drafted by 10 elected members of the council, is expected to be presented soon. The resolution would call for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire in Gaza. However, Thomas-Greenfield cautioned that the U.S. would veto the text if it were presented for a vote.

Thomas-Greenfield said that the veto would be based because the resolution collides with the motives of the ongoing negotiations in Doha for a deal that would establish a ceasefire in exchange for Hamas releasing its hostages.

“The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar are working around the clock in the region to secure an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that leads to the release of all hostages being held by Hamas and other groups that will help us address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in her remarks.

Gaza death toll surpasses 32,000

The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that 32,070 people have been killed in Gaza since the October attack. The statement added that more than 74,000 Palestinians have been injured as the Israeli army continued its attacks in the Gaza Strip.

The latest assault on Palestinians resulted in the death of 82 people and left 110 others injured. The Health Ministry statement said, “Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers are unable to reach them.”

The Israeli war on Gaza has led about 85% of the Palestinian population into displacement and resulted in severe food, water, and medicine shortages. According to the United Nations report, about 60% of the infrastructure inside the Gaza enclave has been damaged or destroyed due to Israeli attacks.

Blinken in Israel

The U.S. Secretary of State Atony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on March 22, 2024, to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the sixth time since he launched a brutal attack on Gaza. Blinken’s visit coincided with a U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution.

Blinken’s latest trip to Israel comes at a time when differences between the Biden Administration and Tel Aviv are ramping up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Israel was determined to send troops into the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah despite U.S. urgings not to.

I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet in Tel Aviv to discuss efforts to get more aid into Gaza and get hostages out.

More aid is getting in, but it’s not enough. I emphasized that Israel must make this a priority. pic.twitter.com/gw0tp9VvzB

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 22, 2024

“We’ve been very clear, President Biden has been very clear, that a major ground operation in Rafah would be a mistake and something that we can’t support,” Blinken said in Cairo, Egypt, before departing for Israel.

“There is no place for the many civilians who are massed in Gaza, in Rafah, to go to get out of harm’s way. And for those that would inevitably remain, it would be a humanitarian disaster,” he said.