Veto by Russia
UN resolution on ceasefire in Gaza fails
The call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that is binding under international law failed once again in the UN Security Council on Friday. Russia and China blocked the resolution introduced by the USA in New York in the most powerful UN body with a veto.
The Russian ambassador to the UN in New York, Vasily Nebenzia, spoke of a "hypocritical" text that did not directly call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The draft was highly politicized and effectively gave a green light to Israel's announced offensive against the border town of Rafah in the south of the coastal strip, he explained.
There were eleven votes in favor of the US proposal in the Security Council, the most powerful body of the United Nations, three against (Russia, China and Algeria) and one abstention (Guyana). The committee's previous efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had failed due to the resistance of the veto power USA, Israel's closest ally.
Change of course by the USA on the UN stage
With the now rejected resolution, the USA has also changed course vis-à-vis Israel on the UN stage. In view of the rising number of civilian casualties and the threat of famine in parts of the sealed-off coastal strip, the USA had recently increased its pressure on Israel.
On Wednesday, the USA submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip. According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, this should also include the release of the hostages from Hamas control.
Body can impose sanctions
A resolution in the UN Security Council requires the votes of at least nine of the 15 member states. In addition, there must be no veto from the permanent members USA, Russia, China, France or Great Britain. Security Council resolutions are binding under international law. If an affected state ignores them, the body can impose sanctions. However, it is unclear how much influence a resolution would have on the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Friday. Such a ceasefire is needed to get hostages out of Gaza and bring in humanitarian aid, he emphasized in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council, according to a statement from the Parliamentary Administration.
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