Indonesia Affirms Use Of Veto Rights Only Extends Palestinian People's Suffering

JAKARTA - The use of veto rights only prolongs the suffering of the Palestinian people, regretting the United Nations Security Council's repeated failure to pass a resolution urging a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

The United States again used its veto rights as a permanent member of the UN DK, when the council held a vote on a draft resolution that urged a ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday.

"Indonesia regrets the failure of the UN Security Council on September 18, which for the umpteenth time failed to pass a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, permanent ceasefire, and the lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid," said Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Yvonne. Leave in a short message to VOI.id, Saturday, September 20.

"The use of veto rights will only prolong the suffering of the Palestinian people and further hinder efforts towards a just and sustainable peace," said Yvonne, who once served in the Indonesian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

The draft resolutions vetoed by Uncle Sam's country were sponsored by 10 non-permanent members of the UN DK or E10, which this time consisted of Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guiana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia.

The draft demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to lift all restrictions on aid deliveries to the Palestinian territories.

The draft resolution also demands immediate, dignified, and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.

The draft resolution received 14 votes agreeing. This is the sixth time the US has filed a veto on the Security Council over a war of nearly two years between Israel and Palestinian militants, Hamas. This Veto comes at a time when the death toll in the Palestinian enclave has reached 65 thousand, including more than 400 of them from hunger and malnutrition, since October 2023.

The UN Security Council itself consists of 15 countries, of which five other countries, the United States, Britain, China, France, and Russia are permanent members with veto rights.

"The UN DK must be able to carry out its main mandate, namely maintaining international peace and security, including pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza," Yvonne, who was once part of Indonesia's mission when he was a member of the UN DK non-permanent, stressed.

It is known that the previous veto was carried out by the US also in a vote at the UN DK on November 20, 2024. At that time the US was also the only country to reject a draft resolution that urged a ceasefire.

This January, Indonesia loudly voiced that the UN DK was able to affirm its relevance in the open UN DK session with the agenda of "Middle East, including the Palestinian Questionion" at the New York United Nations Headquarters.

On this occasion, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Arramanatha Ch. Nasir, called on the UN DK to affirm its relevance. In the midst of increasingly complex global situations, the Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs called for, especially the permanent member state of the UN DK, to stop the deadlock and encourage the reform of UN DK.

"History will assess whether UN DK is able to rise up to face challenges or it becomes irrelevant," said the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia at that time.

Last July, Deputy Foreign Minister Tata also urged that no UN DK member use veto rights to prevent a full Palestinian membership at the United Nations, while following the "High Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Investigation of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution" which was held at the New York United Nations Headquarters.

Last February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lamented the failure of the UN Security Council in responding to the Hamas-Israeli conflict and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying reforms were necessary on the agency, assessing the conflicts had weakened its authorities.

Speaking at the opening of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Secretary General Guterres said the UN Security Council was often deadlocked and "cannot act on the most important issues of peace and security today".

"The lack of unity of the Security Council in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and in Israel's military operations in Gaza following the horrific terror attack by Hamas on October 7, has been very, perhaps fatally, damaging to its authorities," Secretary General Guterres said.

"The board needs serious reforms to its composition and work methods," he continued.

In a post on social media X last August, Secretary General Guterres said the top global body was designed by World War II winners.

"The world has changed but the composition of the Council is not following developments," Secretary General Guterres tweeted, adding that it is unacceptable that Africa with more than one billion residents does not have permanent members.

"Vocations, African insights and participation must be voiced in the considerations and actions of the Council," continued Secretary General Guterres.

The Security Council is the United Nations' most important body and is responsible for resolving conflicts and maintaining peace. This is the only UN agency whose decision is legally binding on UN member states, and can certify the use of force and impose sanctions.