Russia and China have vetoed the resolution drawn up by the US on the ceasefire in Gaza in the UN Security Council which “determines the imperative for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides, enable the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance and alleviate humanitarian suffering.”
The text obtained 11 votes in favor, 3 votes against (Algeria in addition to the veto of Russia and China), and one abstention, Guyana. The UN Security Council will vote tomorrow morning at 10 am (3 pm Italian time) on the draft resolution on the truce in Gaza drawn up by the non-permanent members which “requires an immediate humanitarian ceasefire for the month of Ramadan” and the immediate release of all the hostages, Security Council sources told ANSA. The American ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield has already announced that the US is against the text.
“There are two deeply cynical reasons behind this veto: first, Russia and China do not want to condemn Hamas for the October 7 attacks. They also simply do not want to see a text drafted by the United States adopted.” This was said by the American ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield after the failure of the US resolution on the truce in Gaza in the Security Council.
“We know very well that behind all the rhetoric, Russia and China do nothing diplomatic for lasting peace or to sincerely contribute to humanitarian efforts,” he added. Thomas-Greenfield then anticipated that the other draft drawn up by some non-permanent members of the CDS which calls for a truce for Ramadan in Gaza does not use correct language: “we cannot adopt a product that puts diplomatic efforts in the region at risk” . For his part, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, referring to his negative vote, said that “supporting this text means covering oneself with shame: we cannot allow the Security Council to be an instrument of Washington for its policies in the Middle East. And the American text gives Israel the green light for an attack on Rafah.”
The diplomat, who vetoed the US draft together with China, underlined that “for six months the Security Council was unable to call for a ceasefire in Gaza due to the repeated US veto, and now after six months With the Strip virtually wiped out, the United States calls for a ceasefire.” Nebenzia also reiterated that the text did not explicitly use the word 'asks', but stated that a ceasefire is imperative, a formulation which in his opinion was too weak.
“The American text on the ceasefire in Gaza is ambiguous and does not live up to the expectations of the international community”, said the Chinese ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun, who blocked the draft resolution together with Russia . “Furthermore, the text is unbalanced in many other aspects, for example the fact that the Security Council does not express clear opposition to an Israeli attack on Rafah sends the wrong signal,” he added.
And from Brussels, where he participated in the EU summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said that his government is working on a new resolution at the UN to ask for “an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access”. The objective is to “find an agreement with our European, Arab and US partners”.
“We have gathered strong support for the UN resolution but there was a veto from Russia and China – said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, leaving Tel Aviv -. We have shown the sense of urgency linked to the ceasefire that leads to return home of the hostages but it is unimaginable that some countries did not want to follow in our wake. However, there is strong support and the determination of many countries to reach a ceasefire for the release of the hostages”.