United Nations Security Council. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Al Mayadeen English 22 March, 2024.
“Russia and China jointly vetoed the US ceasefire resolution for Gaza, as it is inefficient and full of “one-sided condemnations.”
Russia and China used their veto power on Friday to block a US-drafted Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council.
The resolution, which fell short of explicitly calling for a ceasefire, faced criticism from both Moscow and Beijing for its perceived shortcomings.
The resolution garnered support from eleven UNSC members, a Sputnik correspondent said, with three opposing it and one abstaining from the vote.
While the draft resolution acknowledged the need for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” in Gaza, it stopped short of demanding such action.
Resolution calls Al-Aqsa Flood an ‘act of terrorism’
One of the key points of contention was the language of the resolution, which only “determined the imperative” of a ceasefire without issuing a clear mandate.
Additionally, the document expressed support for ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and called for the release of all remaining captives while also condemning “acts of terrorism”, including the Palestinian Resistance’s October 7 Operation al-Aqsa Flood.
Russia, in particular, voiced strong opposition to the resolution, criticizing it for failing to unequivocally call for a ceasefire.
The Russian mission to the UN characterized the document as embodying “past distortions and unacceptable one-sided ‘condemnations’,” labeling it as “standard American deception.”
US has so far blocked all previous resolutions for Gaza
The move from the United States came in due to the international condemnations it is coming under over its lack of a call for a ceasefire, as well as its numerous vetoes of prior ceasefire resolutions that actually explicitly called for a ceasefire.
The US blocked in February a UN Security Council resolution sponsored by Algeria calling for an emergency humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
13 members of the UN Security Council voted in favor, while the United Kingdom abstained and the US vetoed the resolution.
The proposed resolution called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties.”
The resolution also urges all involved in the war to “comply with their obligations under international law,” particularly regarding civilians and hostages, in addition to demanding the immediate release of all captives.
