Written by Rebecca Oxtot
Edited by Eliza Dorton and Annika Lilja
On November 20th, the United States vetoed the most recent UN Security Council resolution, which demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release of hostages (UN News). All fourteen other Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution, including US allies Britain and France (AP News). US representatives claim that the resolution lacked demands for an immediate hostage release for those taken captive from Israel by Hamas in October 2023.
US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood stated, “We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages,” claiming that the current resolution would have failed to consider the fate of “more than 100 hostages from more than 20 member states” (AP News).
However, France’s ambassador Nicolas de Riviere argued that the resolution firmly required the release of hostages, and stated, “France still has two hostages in Gaza, and we deeply regret that the Security Council was not able to formulate this demand” (Reuters).
The US has previously attempted to lead resolutions on the topic, proposing a resolution in March. It would have made imperative an immediate ceasefire through supporting talks between Hamas and Israel to reach sustainable peace, involving the release of hostages. However, this resolution was vetoed by China and Russia, and Algeria also voted against the resolution, criticizing it for not being a strong enough call for an immediate cease-fire and accusing it of permitting the continued offensive of Israel (UN News).
While the US is focused upon the successful release of hostages as a condition for a ceasefire, many nations have instead emphasized the importance of irregardlessly ending the ongoing war in Gaza, which has led to mass civilian displacement, food shortages, the destruction of infrastructure, and a reported 40,000 civilian deaths (BBC). Many have accused the US of prioritizing the interests of Israel over the safety of Palestinians. China’s U.N. ambassador Fu Cong asked “How many people have to die before they wake up from their pretend slumber?” (Reuters).
With the competing forces of the U.S., China, and Russia each having veto power in the UN Security Council, a resolution on the Israel-Hamas War is yet to be reached. The most recent attempt is the closest any has gotten to passing, but the U.S. has remained steadfast in its insistence that all ceasefire demands must require the release of hostages captured on October 7th. Meanwhile, Palestinian deaths continue to pile up in Gaza, where two recent Israeli strikes have killed more than fifty people, and the UN reports humanitarian aid being blocked from the region (AP News).
Sources:
Brunnstrom, David, and Simon Lewis. “US vetoes UN Security Council resolution on Gaza ceasefire.” Reuters, 20 November 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-will-veto-un-security-council-resolution-gaza-war-its-current-form-says-2024-11-20/. Accessed 1 December 2024.
Lederer, Edith M. “US vetoes UN resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza because there's no link to a hostage release.” AP News, 20 November 2024, https://apnews.com/article/un-gaza-resolution-veto-hamas-israel-hostages-b5281432fc2acdc1860adb3015392c0b. Accessed 1 December 2024.
Middle East latest: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill more than 50 people, including kids. Associated Press, 2024.
“Middle East live updates for 20 November: US vetoes Security Council resolution on Gaza.” UN News, 20 November 2024, https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157201. Accessed 1 December 2024.
United Nations. “Russia and China veto US resolution stating imperative of 'immediate and sustained ceasefire' in Gaza.” UN News, 22 March 2024, https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147856. Accessed 1 December 2024.