US Vetoes UN Gaza Ceasefire Resolution

By: G. Castro

On the 20th of November, the United States vetoed a draft resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, put forward by the United Nations Security Council. The US representative, Ambassador Robert Wood, cited concerns that an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages would send a message to Hamas that their “cynical strategy” had been absolved and the more than 100 hostages that remain in their hands forgotten.
Previous attempts to mediate the conflict have been made both by the UN and other nations, though none have been fruitful in the long term. On the 21st May 2021 a ceasefire to the Gaza War, mediated by Egypt, came into effect after 11 days of fighting. On December 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire with the release of all hostages, the recorded vote was 15 against 10, with the United States being a part of the 10 countries against. In November 2023, the UN Security Council called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors through the Gaza Strip to facilitate the provision of essential goods and services, to which the United States was the singular vote against the resolution.
The US has maintained its position as Israel’s closest ally since they were the first country to recognize Israel as an independent state in May 1948. From October 2023 to October 2024, the US has spent a total of 17.9 billion dollars on military aid to Israel. The US has used their veto power as a permanent member of the UNSC in order to protect its ally Israel during this conflict. As stated previously, the US has tried to impede various UN resolutions promoting a ceasefire in Gaza. According to US Ambassador Robert Wood, the US is not against a ceasefire. Still, it will not support one that doesn’t allow for the release of the hostages Hamas took 13 months ago, as they believe an unconditional ceasefire means “accepting Hamas retaining power in Gaza” and that is unacceptable to them.
Palestinian officials condemned the US vote, arguing that it would encourage Israel to “continue its crimes against innocent civilians in Palestine and Lebanon”, and the
Palestinian deputy UN ambassador responded saying that the continuous lack of ceasefire allows Israel to continue attempting to “annihilate a nation”. On the other hand, the Israeli UN ambassador, Danny Danon, thanked the US for their support in “refusing to abandon the hostages and their families” and claimed that the resolution was not a path to peace, but rather “a road map to more terror, more suffering, and more bloodshed”.
Without a legally binding resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza will continue, meaning innocent Palestinian civilians will keep being killed, in addition to the reported 43,000 Palestinians killed. The veto leaves the city of Gaza in a precarious state with little hope for immediate peace or humanitarian relief.