OAN’s Sophia Flores
8:45 AM – Monday, December 11, 2023
The United States has vetoed a United Nations resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
On Friday, the U.S., one of the permanent members of the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) used its veto power in the resolution calling for a ceasefire introduced by the United Arab Emirates.
“We do not support calls for an immediate cease-fire,” Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood said Friday in New York. “This would only plant the seeds for the next war, because Hamas has no desire to see a durable peace, to see a two-state solution.”
Prior to using its veto power, 13 out of the 15 members of the Security Council approved the resolution. The only other permanent member to not pass the resolution was The United Kingdom. The U.K. abstained from voting.
The vote took place two days after UN Secretary-General António Guterres invoked Article 99 of the U.N. Charter to push for a ceasefire. The draft resolution was co-sponsored by 97 U.N. members.
This was the first time that Guterres invoked Article 99. Article 99 is used to alert the Security Council of a severe international security threat.
The U.S. often utilizes its veto power to block resolutions that are critical of Israel. However, this veto in particular was important to note due to the rising international concern from other countries concerned with Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
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