Russia and China vetoed on Friday a US resolution stressing the “necessity” of an “immediate” ceasefire in Gaza, arguing that it is “hypocritical”. France, however, remains determined to find “an agreement” in the UN Security Council.
Russia and China on Friday vetoed a US-led draft resolution at the Security Council on a ceasefire in Gaza, with Moscow accusing Washington of a “hypocritical spectacle” that does not pressure Israel.
The United States, Israel’s main ally which has vetoed previous ceasefire calls, put forward the resolution which for the first time would have supported “the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire” and condemned the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Russia and China exercised their vetoes, Algeria also voted against and Guyana abstained. The other 11 Security Council members voted in favor, including permanent members France and Britain.
Beijing had earlier reaffirmed its full support for any attempt to establish a ceasefire in the besieged enclave.
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Russia’s ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, said that the United States was doing nothing to rein in Israel, mocking Washington for speaking of a ceasefire after “Gaza has been virtually wiped off the face of the Earth.” “We have observed a typical hypocritical spectacle,” he said.
“The American product is exceedingly politicized, with the sole purpose being to play to voters and throw them a bone in the form of some kind of a mention of a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said.
The resolution will “ensure the impunity of Israel, whose crimes are not even assessed in the draft,” he added.
The draft links a ceasefire to ongoing talks, led by Qatar with support from the United States and Egypt, to halt the war in return for Hamas releasing hostages.
France to keep pushing
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in Brussels immediately after the vetoes, said France would keep pushing an alternative resolution for a ceasefire. He expressed his determination to “find an agreement” in the UN Security Council after Russia and China vetoed the deal.
“The Security Council must now decide on an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. After the veto by Russia and China a few minutes ago, we will start again on the basis of the French draft resolution in the Security Council and work with our American, European and Arab partners in this direction to find an agreement,” he declared at the end of a European summit in Brussels.
“I think that this draft, if it is worked on, as we have started to do, with several regional partners, in particular from the Arab world, can lift the vetoes that have been expressed on the American proposal,” continued Emmanuel Macron, mentioning Jordan and the United Arab Emirates as partners.
The diplomatic work carried out with these countries could help “convince China and Russia not to veto,”added Emmanuel Macron.
The Security Council may later Friday consider another resolution with a more explicit call for an immediate ceasefire.
The US ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, indicated opposition, saying it would jeopardize the ongoing talks for the release of hostages.
Speaking before the vote on the US draft, Thomas-Greenfield said, “By adopting the resolution before us, we can put pressure on Hamas to accept the deal on the table.” She later called the Russian and Chinese vetoes “not just cynical” but also “petty.”
“Russia and China simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the United States,” she said.
“Let’s be honest — for all the fiery rhetoric, we all know that Russia and China are not doing anything diplomatically to advance a lasting peace or to meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian response effort,” she said.
Russia, China and Algeria said that the resolution should stop Israel from a threatened offensive in the Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians have sheltered.
Amelie Bottollier-Depois, Shaun Tandon, with AFP
