Competing U.N. Security Council proposals to respond to the escalation of violence in Gaza both failed Friday, demonstrating the deep divisions that have paralyzed the U.N.’s most powerful body.
After months of urgent discussions about the violence, the U.S. vetoed an Arab-backed resolution that sought to explore ways to ensure “international protection” for Palestinian civilians, while council members voted down a U.S. resolution to condemn Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza.
Ten of the council’s 15 members voted for the Arab-backed resolution, drafted by Kuwait. The U.S. was the sole yes vote for its resolution.
In vetoing the Kuwaiti measure, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called it “grossly one-sided” for demanding that the Israeli military halt “the use of any excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force” while not mentioning Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.
“This resolution is wildly inaccurate in its characterization of recent events in Gaza” and “would harm any efforts toward peace,” she said.
But Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi said the veto stood to exacerbate the problems in Gaza.
“It will increase the sentiment of despair among the Palestinians,” he said.
The defeated U.S. resolution, meanwhile, deletes the reference to Israeli force and protecting Palestinians, while adding many passages casting blame on Hamas for violence, endangering civilians, and deteriorating conditions in Gaza.
It demanded that Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups stop “all violent activity and provocative actions” in Gaza and…
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