World Condemns U.S. Veto of Gaza Ceasefire

‘Diplomatic Catastrophe of the Century’

Date: 21 February 2024 - 22:38

News ID: ۱۲۴۹۴۱

TEHRAN -- Condemnations poured in from world countries after the U.S. once again vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s months-long genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Algeria-drafted resolution called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the “unconditional” release of prisoners, with representatives of 13 countries at the 15-member Security Council voting in favor of the resolution and Britain abstaining.
The veto, which marks the third time Washington has opposed such a resolution, drew criticism from many countries including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and even close U.S. allies, France and Slovenia.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian called the veto the “diplomatic catastrophe of the century”, saying the United States remains responsible for Israel’s savage campaign in Gaza since early October.
“This continued veto clearly makes the White House responsible for the continuation of the genocide by the fake Israeli regime in Gaza and its war crimes in the West Bank,” the Iranian minister wrote in a post on X. “The world must hold the U.S. accountable.”
China warned that Washington’s decision to veto the resolution has pushed the war in Gaza into an “even more dangerous” situation.
“China voted in favor of the draft resolution,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing in Beijing. “The United States has once again single-handedly vetoed it, pushing the situation in Gaza into an even more dangerous situation, in which all parties concerned... have expressed their strong disappointment and dissatisfaction.”
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia said the U.S. veto marked “another black page in the history of the Security Council.”
Nebenzia said the U.S. was trying to play for time so that Israel could complete its “inhumane plans” for Gaza, namely to squeeze the Palestinians out of the territory and completely “cleanse” the enclave.
The Russian envoy added that no matter how bitter the “aftertaste” of the vote may be, “we are not in the mood to give up.”
France’s UN envoy Nicolas de Riviere expressed regret that the resolution “could not be adopted, given the disastrous situation” in Gaza.
De Riviere underlined that France, which voted for the resolution, would continue to work towards all captives being released and for a ceasefire to be “implemented immediately.”
Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s UN

envoy, said the Security Council “failed once again” and warned the move could have profound consequences for the West Asia region as a whole.

“The international community should respond to the calls for ending the killing of Palestinians by calling for an immediate ceasefire. All those impeding such calls should review their policies and their calculations because wrong decisions today will have a cost on our region and our world tomorrow. And this cost will be violence and instability,” Bendjama said.

“So ask yourselves, examine your conscience. What will your decisions today cause? How will history judge you?”

Qatar’s UN Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani also said she regretted the UN council’s failure to adopt the Algeria-drafted resolution and pledged to continue facilitating efforts to secure a truce in Gaza.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry expressed “regret” at the veto and stressed the “need now more than ever to reform the Security Council to carry out its responsibilities in maintaining peace and security with credibility and without double standards.”

Norway’s mission to the UN said it “regrets” that the council was not able to adopt a resolution on an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. “It is imperative to end the horror in Gaza,” it added.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez said the veto made Washington complicit in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.

“The U.S. has just vetoed again the UN Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the forced displacement of the Palestinian population,” Bermudez said in a social media post.

“They are accomplices of this genocide of Israel against Palestine.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) CAIR director Nihad Awad said Muslim Americans were “running out of words” to condemn the U.S. support for the “genocide” in Gaza.

“The latest U.S. veto of a UN ceasefire resolution is shameful. President Biden should stop acting like Benjamin Netanyahu’s defense lawyer and start acting like the President of the United States,” Awad said in a statement.