The United States has again blocked a proposed statement by the United Nations Security Council members that would have “condemned the violence” in Gaza and called for a ceasefire between “warring parties”.
China, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of May, drafted the statement following an emergency session of the international body. The US opposition to the statement prevented the statement from being released and no vote was held.
China’s four-point proposal stated that a ceasefire and the cessation of violence was “the priority”, and urged all parties, especially Israel, “to exercise restraint.”
On the same day, US president Joe Biden said he supported a ceasefire, a call that went unheeded by Israel, Washington’s closest ally. US officials however say that they continue to engage in diplomatic efforts with regional countries to secure a halt to the fighting.
US officials know fully well that their country is the only power in the world capable of forcing a ceasefire. But it seems the Biden team has decided to give the Netanyahu government ample time to ‘finish the job’ before exerting credible efforts to secure a halt to these attacks.
Around 215 Palestinians have been killed so far by Israeli attacks, including more than 60 children in the past nine days. The UN says that over 52,000 Palestinians have been displaced by the Israeli attacks which have “destroyed or badly damaged” nearly 450 buildings in Gaza. Amnesty International on Tuesday said Israel air strikes on residential buildings “might amount to war crimes.”
Nevertheless, the casualties and the catastrophic situation being faced by Gazans don’t seem to change the US position, which repeatedly emphasises ‘Israel’s right to defend itself’ while denying the same right to the Palestinians, the actual victims of decadeslong oppressive and cruel treatment by the Israeli occupation.
Pro-Isreal White House
It is no secret that President Biden, as well as his entire foreign policy team, are staunchly pro-Israel. And they have carefully avoided any public criticism of Israel’s behaviour from the outset of the current conflict. However, the US has a moral duty to call on the Israelis to stop the aggression.
US officials know fully well that their country is the only power in the world capable of forcing a ceasefire. But it seems the Biden team has decided to give the Netanyahu government ample time to ‘finish the job’ before exerting credible efforts to secure a halt to these attacks.
As the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman rightly said, the US must “shoulder its fair share of responsibilities, take a just stance, and work with the majority of the international community to support the Security Council” in its efforts to end Israel’s attacks.
