China, Russia veto US resolution on Gaza war

NEW YORK, US

Despite mounting atrocities in Gaza, the U.N Security Council remains deadlocked. Russia and China on Friday (Mar. 22) vetoed a U.S. resolution which “determined the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire”.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 11 members in favour and three against, including Algeria, the Arab representative on the council. There was one abstention, from Guyana.

A key issue in the vote was the language that said the Security Council “determines the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire.” The phrasing was not a straightforward “demand” or “call” to halt hostilities.

Algeria's ambassador Amar Bendjama emphasized the urgency of an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and regretted that the draft fell short [of it] and explaining why he voted against it.

Bendjama said since the US circulated its draft over a month ago, Algeria had proposed reasonable edits to achieve a “more balanced and acceptable text”. He acknowledged that some of their proposals had been included but “core concerns remained unaddressed.”

Emphasizing “measures” to reduce civilian harm and talk of “operations” implies a license for continuing bloodshed for Israel, he reckoned. The operation in Rafah would have devastating consequences if it goes ahead, he added.

The final U.S. draft eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israel’s offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under current circumstances.”

Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council emphasized its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighbouring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”

Before the vote, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supports an immediate cease-fire, but he criticized the language of the resolution, which he called philosophical wording that does not belong in a U.N. resolution.

He accused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of “deliberately misleading the international community.”

He said the US was trying to "sell a product" to the Council by using the word imperative in its resolution.

This is not enough" and the Council must "demand a ceasefire" he declared.