Russia and China have vetoed a US draft resolution at the United Nations calling for an “immediate and lasting” ceasefire in Gaza.
The resolution calls for an “imperative” cessation of hostilities for approximately six weeks to protect civilians and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The vote came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that his troops would launch a ground offensive in Rafah, a huge snub to President Joe Biden.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said the move was highly politicized and an effective green light for Israel to mount a military operation in Rafah.
Eleven countries voted for the U.S.-backed resolution, which declared “the imperative for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.”
Russia and China have vetoed a US draft resolution at the United Nations calling for an “immediate and lasting” ceasefire in Gaza. Antony Blinken landed in Israel on Friday as the UN prepares to vote on a US ceasefire proposal today.
The vote came amid deteriorating conditions in Gaza, where local officials say more than 30,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its war against Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack in Israel. .
In the three previous UN votes demanding an end to the fighting, it was the United States that exercised the veto through its permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday amid ongoing talks to try to broker a temporary ceasefire.
But they were quickly upset when Netanyahu vowed to continue the assault on Rafah to “finish Hamas.”
“Today I met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I expressed my deep gratitude for our joint efforts in the fight against Hamas for more than five months,” Netanyahu said.
“I emphasized our commitment to evacuating civilians from conflict zones and responding to humanitarian needs. However, I stressed the need to enter the Gaza Strip and neutralize the remaining militias to defeat Hamas,” he added.
“While I expressed hope for U.S. support, I made clear that if necessary, we would proceed independently.”
He met with Arab diplomats in Cairo, where he said an Israeli attack on Rafah, where more than a million people are gathered inside Gaza, would be a “mistake.” He also calls for an increase in humanitarian aid.
He meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet amid tensions with the Biden administration. This week, Netanyahu convened a lunch of Republican senators in the Senate, but Senate Democrats did not invite him following Minority Leader Charles Schumer’s speech calling for new elections in Israel and saying Netanyahu had “lost his path “.
Palestinians rush for cover as smoke rises after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City March 18, 2024, amid ongoing fighting between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he was determined to send troops to the southern Gaza town of Rafah and would do so without U.S. support.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Tel Aviv, Israel
The resolution failed after China and Russia vetoed it.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks after vote on Gaza ceasefire resolution
Growing hunger in Gaza raises concerns. Children play among damaged buildings around the mosque, the rubble of the Al-Farooq mosque destroyed during the Israeli attack in Rafah, Gaza, March 22, 2024.
“Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah,” Schumer said, in a speech President Biden called “good.”
The talks aim to establish a pause in fighting and the return of around 200 hostages captured by Hamas in the October 7 attack, with negotiations focusing on Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Amid reports of widespread hunger, even famine, amid continued attacks and struggles to organize aid distribution, European leaders issued a statement calling for “an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance.”
The latest language used in the resolution reflects growing concerns within the administration and abroad about the situation in Gaza.
An earlier version released last month called for a ceasefire “as soon as possible,” and President Biden and his top security aides defended Israel’s right to defend itself by striking back at Hamas.
With the failure of the US-backed resolution, France intervened to try to revive the efforts.
“After the veto of Russia and China a few minutes ago, we will resume work on the basis of the French draft resolution in the Security Council and work with our American, European and Arab partners to reach an agreement” , declared French President Emmanuel Macron. Friday.
There is also a domestic political component, as there are fears that Israel’s war in Gaza could continue through the summer, in a US election year, if Netanyahu continues his operation plans in Rafah.
A new CNN poll released Friday shows Biden losing eight points to his predecessor Donald Trump in battleground Michigan, home to the nation’s largest Islamic population.
Netanyahu said after meeting with Blinken on Friday that Israel would continue its Rafah operation even without U.S. support.
“I emphasized our commitment to evacuating civilians from conflict zones and responding to humanitarian needs. However, I stressed the need to enter the Gaza Strip and neutralize the remaining militias to defeat Hamas,” Netanyahu said.
“While expressing hope for American support, I made it clear that if necessary, we would proceed independently,” added.
Speaking to reporters in Israel outside his government plane, Blinken highlighted strong support for the resolution, which he said was “cynically opposed by Russia and China.”
“I think we were trying to show the international community the sense of urgency to get a ceasefire tied to the release of the hostages, something that everyone, including the countries that vetoed the resolution, should have been able to sustain.