US Veto Makes UNSC Failed Again to Agree on Resolution of Conflict in Gaza, Brazilian Ambassador: It's Very Sad

Voting on crisis resolution in Gaza. (Source: UN Photo/Manuel Elias)

JAKARTA - The UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution calling for a humanitarian pause to provide aid to millions of people in Gaza, Palestine proposed by Brazil, after a veto from the United States in Wednesday's vote, the second failure after Russia's draft resolution also failed to be agreed.

In fact, the draft resolution has received the support of the majority of UNSC members (Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland, and the UAE). Russia and Britain abstained, while the US refused.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said her country used the veto because the draft resolution did not mention Israel's right to self-defense.

"Israel has an inherent view of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter," he added, noting that this right had been reaffirmed by the Council in previous resolutions regarding terrorist attacks, quoted from the UN website Thursday, October 19.

"This resolution should do the same," he continued.

He further said that even though Uncle Sam's country could not support the resolution, the US would continue to work together with all members of the Council in overcoming this crisis.

US vetoes Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza

Favor: 12 (Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland,UAE)

Against: 1 (US)

Abstain: 2 Russia, UK pic.twitter.com/y4tiAbRMUQ

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 18, 2023

"Just as we will continue to reiterate the need to protect civilians, including the media, humanitarian workers, and UN staff," he explained.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Ambassador to the UN Sérgio França Danese said his country, as President of the Security Council in October, responded to calls from Council members to form a unified response to this crisis.

"We heed the call with a sense of urgency and responsibility, in our view the Security Council must take action and do so very quickly," he explained.

Ambassador Danese reiterated that his focus was and remains on the critical humanitarian situation on the ground, guided by political realism.

"It is very sad that the Council has again been unable to adopt a resolution regarding this crisis, again silence and inaction have occurred," he said.

This is the second time that the UN Security Council has failed to produce a resolution regarding the crisis in Gaza after Russia's proposed resolution also failed in Monday's vote.

Russia's draft resolution calls for an immediate, not lengthy, comprehensive ceasefire. And stop attacks on civilians.

"If this is not included in the current draft law, it will not help address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and polarize the position of the international community," said Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.

It is known that the voting mechanism for UNSC resolutions requires a minimum of nine votes in favor, from a total of 15 members of the council, without a veto from any of the permanent members of the council, namely the United States, China, Britain, France and Russia.