On Friday, December 8, 2023, the United States exercised its veto power in the United Nations Security Council, rejecting a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. The diplomatic move resulted in Washington’s isolation as it stood in defense of its ally.
A draft resolution, proposed by the United Arab Emirates, received support from thirteen Security Council members, with Britain abstaining from the vote. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier issued a rare formal warning to the council about the global threat posed by the two-month-long war.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Robert Wood, emphasized that the decision was not about isolation but about pursuing the best course to end the conflict promptly and facilitate increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Wood acknowledged the complexity of the situation, stating, “We can’t just snap our fingers and the conflict stops.”
The United States and Israel opposed a ceasefire, contending that it would primarily benefit Hamas. Instead, Washington advocated for temporary pauses in hostilities to protect civilians and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas since a deadly attack on Israel on October 7.
A seven-day pause, marked by the release of some hostages and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, concluded on December 1. Despite multiple unsuccessful attempts to take action, the Security Council, the previous month, had called for temporary halts in fighting to facilitate aid access to Gaza.
Expressing concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, Guterres labeled Gaza a “spiraling humanitarian nightmare.” The U.S. preferred pursuing its own diplomacy over Security Council actions to secure the release of additional hostages and urge Israel to enhance civilian protection in Gaza.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged a “gap” between Israel’s intent to safeguard civilians and the situation on the ground. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 17,480 casualties amid Israeli airstrikes, a siege, and a ground offensive, resulting in the displacement of the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
Guterres, addressing the council, highlighted the lack of effective protection for civilians in Gaza, describing their plight as being akin to “human pinballs” moving through ever-shrinking areas without basic necessities for survival.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned that the Security Council, by not adopting the resolution, would grant Israel a “license to continue with its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza.”
The draft resolution, aside from calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, emphasized the need to protect Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations and demanded the unconditional release of all hostages. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan asserted that the true path to peace required supporting Israel’s mission and not calling for a ceasefire, citing Hamas’s breach of a previous ceasefire on October 7.
