The U.N. Security Council has failed again to address the Israeli–Hamas war in Gaza, rejecting rival United States and Russian resolutions.
The U.S. resolution would have reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense, urged respect for international laws, especially protection of civilians, and called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver desperately needed aid to Gaza. Wednesday’s vote in the 15-member council was 10 countries in favor, three against, and two abstentions. The resolution was not adopted because both Russia and China cast vetoes.
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The Russian resolution would have called for an immediate “humanitarian ceasefire” and unequivocally condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and “indiscriminate attacks” on civilians and civilian objects in Gaza. The vote was 4 in favor, two against, and nine abstentions. The resolution wasn’t adopted because it failed to get the minimum nine “yes” votes.
The council is charged under the U.N. Charter with maintaining international peace and security. But Wednesday’s rejections, following its rejections last week of a Russian resolution and a Brazilian proposal, leave the Security Council divided and paralyzed in taking action on the Israeli-Hamas war.
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Malta’s U.N. Ambassador Vanessa Frazier told reporters before the vote that if both resolutions failed, she would attempt to draft a compromise resolution.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of submitting its text with no consultations “in bad faith.” Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the U.S. draft a “politicized” proposal to shore up Israel.
