UN Security Council Fails to Pass Resolution Against Israel
The United Nations Security Council faced a deadlock on December 8 as it attempted to adopt a resolution urging Israel to halt its operations against the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Resolution was thwarted by the United States' veto, undermining the efforts of Arab leaders to end the Israel's military campaign. The United Kingdom abstained, and 13 countries voted in favour.
The U.S. deemed it unacceptable to endorse a resolution that did not condemn the Hamas attacks on October 7, including the failure to denounce sexual violence during that assault. U.S. representatives also insisted that this resolution would not lead to peace.
"Unfortunately, almost all our recommendations were ignored, and the result of this hasty process is an unbalanced resolution detached from reality," stated Robert Wood, the U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN.
Israel's UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its leadership on this challenging issue and remarked, "It is shocking that while Hamas fires rockets at Israel from civilian areas in southern Gaza, the UN is busy discussing a distorted resolution that allows Hamas terrorists to remain in power in Gaza and does not condemn or call for the release of hostages. A ceasefire will only be possible after the return of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas."
However, the Biden administration simultaneously voiced concerns about the high number of civilian casualties. It also reminded that Israel retains the right to defend itself against Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and the European Union.
Photo: Trails of smoke from Hamas' rockets fired from Gaza toward Israel can be seen in the sky. Source: Getty Images
Preparations for considering this resolution began last month in Beijing, where representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and the Palestinian territories embarked on a tour to engage with permanent members of the UN Security Council. On Friday, December 8, these representatives visited Washington to advocate for the ceasefire resolution. This was the final stop for the group that had been advocating for Hamas' interests.
On December 8, Israel continued its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, while Hamas fired rockets at Israel. Israeli forces advanced into the southern city of Khan Yunis, the hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.