On February 20, 2024, the United States government vetoed a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council. This is the third veto the US has issued since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack against Israel. This resolution was introduced by Algeria on behalf of all Arab governments. The North African nation called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and for the Israelis and Palestinians to wrap up the war in Gaza.
Algeria’s resolution demanded an end to the “forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population in violation of international law,” in addition to calling for “an immediate end to any such violations and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s ambassador, gave a speech before the Security Council, declaring that “now is the time for action and the time for truth.”
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced that the US is proposing an additional resolution that would call for a ceasefire provided that all the Israeli captives in Gaza be liberated. Thomas-Greenfield added that it is of the essence that the council sharply criticize Hamas.
“Let us commit to do this the right way at the right time,” Thomas-Greenfield added.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said before the council that American authorities continue to give Israel “a license to kill.”
“We call on the Council membership to counter the lawlessness of Washington,” Nebenzia continued.
13 Security Council members supported the ceasefire resolution, which was capsized because of the US veto. The UK abstained from the vote.
“We have witnessed another black page in the history of the Security Council,” Russia’s Nebenzia said following the vote.
China’s ambassador, Zhang Jun, said that the US government’s veto sends the wrong message and will worsen the crisis in Gaza. He argued that the US can’t justify any assertion that the Algerian resolution puts in jeopardy ongoing negotiations.
“The human toll and humanitarian situation in Gaza are intolerable, and Israeli operations must end,” the ambassador of France, Nicholas de Rivière, declared. “We strongly deplore this and call for the Council to quickly emerge from this culpable ambiguity.”
In the case of the United Kingdom’s ambassador, Barbara Woodward, she pushed for an “immediate suspension in fighting,” declaring that it would lead to a ceasefire. Woodward continued by noting that there needs to be regime change in Gaza and the West Bank and the full demilitarization of the Palestinian resistance.
Algerian ambassador Bendjama criticized the veto and concluded by saying before the council, “Our message for you today is that the international community should respond to the calls for ending the killing of Palestinians by calling for an immediate ceasefire.”
“We will not stop until this Council shoulders its responsibility in full and imposes an immediate ceasefire. We will never tire, and we will never stop.” Bendjama continued.
The US is clearly in over its head. It needs to stop interfering in Israel and Palestine. Better yet, it needs to end all military aid to Israel and begin a full-fledged extrication from the Israel-Palestine conflict altogether.
The only way to bring peace in the Middle East is for the US to pull out of the region.