The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The resolution passed 13-1, with Great Britain abstaining from the vote.
U.N Ambassador from the U.S. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said following the vote, “Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible.”
“And so, while we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy, we look forward to engaging on a text that we believe will address so many of the concerns we all share: A text that can and should be adopted by the Council, so that we can have a temporary ceasefire as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released,” adding, “This temporary ceasefire is critical to getting aid into the hands of Palestinian civilians who desperately, desperately need it.”
“We should look towards this text so that we can finally, finally, condemn Hamas for their horrific attacks on October 7, which set this conflict into motion; so that we can empower Senior Coordinator Kaag and the United Nations, because her success, is the UN’s success; and it is so very needed to ensure civilians get the aid that they need, more efficiently and effectively, and just more, period,” Thomas-Greenfield continued. “And so that, ultimately, we can together help create a future in which Israelis and Palestinians live in states of their own, side by side, in peace.”
“We are committed to engaging constructively on our resolution with you all in the days to come, to that end. And we will continue to tirelessly engage in direct diplomacy and negotiations on the ground.”
Prior to the vote, Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council, “Any action this council takes right now should help, not hinder these sensitive and ongoing negotiations. And we believe that the resolution on the table right now would, in fact, negatively impact those negotiations.
“Demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace. Instead, it could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel,” she explained.
The United States has instead proposed a temporary ceasefire.
The draft resolution would see the Security Council “underscore its support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable, based on the formula of all hostages being released, and calls for lifting all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale,” according to Reuters.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) urged Americans not to be “fooled” by the U.N. veto.
“Not long ago, the White House said calls for a cease-fire were ‘disgraceful.’ But now the administration is not only supporting a cease-fire but leading the charge by proposing a UN resolution,” he wrote on X. “Do not let today’s UN veto fool you, the White House DOES support a cease-fire. While the Biden administration reverses course, House Republicans will remain steadfast in our support for Israel in its fight against Hamas.”
