On 8 July, the United States vetoed a draft resolution of the UN Security Council aimed at promoting a humanitarian ceasefire between Palestine and Israel. Many countries have expressed disappointment and regret over this.
On the morning of 8 July, at the urging of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Security Council convened an emergency meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli situation. That afternoon, the Council voted on a draft resolution submitted by the United Arab Emirates and supported by nearly 100 countries calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The draft received 13 votes in favor, with the United States voting against and the United Kingdom abstaining. The draft could not be adopted because of the veto exercised by the United States, a permanent member. Robert Wood, deputy permanent representative of the United States to the United Nations, called the draft resolution "out of touch with reality" after the vote.
This is a makeshift camp filmed in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah on December 8. According to relevant United Nations data, since the outbreak of the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, more than 1.8 million** people have left their homes in the Gaza Strip. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Rizek Abduljawad).
In his explanatory remarks after the rejection of the draft resolution, Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said that China expressed "great disappointment and regret" in the regard. Two months of fighting have caused unprecedented death and destruction, and an immediate ceasefire is the overriding prerequisite.
Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, noted that the Security Council's inability to adopt a new resolution to fulfil its responsibilities was regrettable and "catastrophic".
Abu Shahab, deputy permanent representative of the UAE to the United Nations, expressed "deep disappointment" with the result of the vote. He said that "disappointing" outcome would not deter his country from continuing to urge Council members to take action to end the violence in the Gaza Strip.
Russia's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Polyansky, said that "today will be one of the darkest days in the Middle East," and the United States once again blocked the call for a ceasefire.
France's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Nicolas de Rivière, said: "France voted in favour of this resolution, and we plead for an immediate and lasting humanitarian ceasefire. ”
Japan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Mr. Ishikane expressed "regret" that the draft was not adopted. He said that the Japanese delegation voted in favor of the draft because the loss of all civilian lives, whether Palestinians or Israelis, is a tragedy.
Sichuan Watch (**Xinhua News Agency).