“The vast majority of this council voted in favour of this resolution, but unfortunately Russia and China decided to exercise its veto,” US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council.
“For all the fiery rhetoric, we all know that Russia and China are not doing anything diplomatically to advance a lasting peace or to meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian response effort,” she told the council after the vote.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is in Tel Aviv for meetings with Israeli leaders, said Russia and China “cynically vetoed” the resolution.
“On the resolution, which got very strong support, but then was cynically vetoed by Russia and China, I think we were trying to show the international community a sense of urgency about getting a ceasefire,” Blinken told reporters in Israel.
The US has wanted any Security Council support for a ceasefire to be linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Palestinian Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took 253 captive in their October 7 attack, according to Israeli tallies.
Nearly 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to health authorities in the Hamas-ruled enclave.
“This would free the hands of Israel and it would result in all of Gaza and its entire population having to face destruction, devastation, or expulsion,” Nebenzia told the meeting.
He said a number of non-permanent members of the Security Council had drafted an alternative resolution and said there was no reason for members not to support it.
US pushes for immediate Gaza ceasefire at UN after vetoing earlier efforts
US pushes for immediate Gaza ceasefire at UN after vetoing earlier efforts
China’s UN ambassador Zhang Jun said the text proposed by the US was unbalanced and criticised it for not clearly stating its opposition to a planned military operation by Israel in Rafah in southern Gaza which he said could lead to severe consequences. He said Beijing also supported the alternative.
But Thomas-Greenfield said that measure fell short.
“In its current form, that text fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse … it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table,” she said.
A diplomat said the alternative resolution drafted by the 10 elected members of the Security Council under Mozambique’s coordination could be brought forward for a vote as soon as Friday.
Washington previously vetoed three draft resolutions, two of which would have demanded an immediate ceasefire.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse