US vetoes UNSC resolution calling for humanitarian pause in Hamas-Israel conflict

United Nations: While US President Joe Biden was in Israel on Wednesday, his country stood isolated in the Security Council vetoing a resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas but also condemning the terrorist group’s attack.

The resolution proposed by Council President Brazil received 12 votes, including from Washington’s allies France and Japan, while another ally, Britain, and Russia abstained, but it was negated by the US veto.

The vote took place under the shadow of the explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds on Tuesday and the vetoed resolution called for ending attacks on civilians and for sending aid to Gaza.

Palestinians, who blamed an Israeli attack, said at least 470 people were killed in the hospital explosion, while Biden asserted that “it was done by the other team”, meaning Palestinians.

Palestinians say more than 3,000 people have been killed in the retaliatory attacks launched by Israel for the destructive incursion by Hamas terrorists who killed at least 1,700 and took about 200 hostages on October 7.

Before the resolution was put to vote, two amendments proposed by Russia failed to pass as they did not get the required nine votes and Washington’s sole negative votes did not count as vetoes.

One amendment called for a complete “ceasefire” as distinct from the “humanitarian pause” suggested in Brazil’s draft and the other demanded condemnation of attacks on civilians in Gaza.

Brazil worked without success for nearly a week to get a consensus reaction to the Hamas attack October 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath. Brazil’s Permanent Representative Sergio Franca Daneses said: “Sadly, very sadly, the Council was yet again unable to adopt a resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Again, silence and inaction prevail to no one’s long-term interests.”

The vetoed resolution explicitly condemned Hamas for the ”heinous” attack on Israel.

On Monday, a resolution cosponsored by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and 23 countries failed by not getting the minimum nine votes because several countries said that it did not name Hamas in condemning the attack on Israeli civilians.

The US sole negative vote that was a veto of the Brazil-sponsored resolution plays into the hands of the Palestinians and Russia by showing Washington’s isolation from even its allies on the broader situation.

For the Biden administration, the veto was driven by domestic politics that required him to appear to stand solidly in support of Israel and not even countenance any directive to that ally, even though it also sternly condemned Hamas.