Countries express disappointment over U.S. veto of Gaza ceasefire resolution

"We express great disappointment and regret that the draft has been vetoed by the U.S.," says Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, adding that two months of fighting had already caused an unprecedented amount of death and destruction. "An immediate ceasefire is the overriding prerequisite."

Video: The United States on Dec. 8, 2023 vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on Friday that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza due to a veto cast by the United States. Many countries expressed disappointment and regret over the U.S. veto of the Gaza-related draft.

On Friday morning, at the urging of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Security Council held an emergency meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli situation. In the afternoon, the Security Council voted on a draft resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates and backed by about 100 countries, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. There were 13 votes in favor, with Britain abstaining. The United States voted against it.

The draft failed to pass because the United States, a permanent member of the council, exercised its veto power. U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Robert Wood said after the vote that the draft resolution was "divorced from reality."

This photo shows a UN Security Council's meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Dec. 8, 2023. The United States during the meeting vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

"We express great disappointment and regret that the draft has been vetoed by the U.S.," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN.

Zhang said that two months of fighting had already caused an unprecedented amount of death and destruction. "An immediate ceasefire is the overriding prerequisite."

Riyad H. Mansour, permanent observer of Palestine to the UN, pointed out that it is beyond regrettable and disastrous that the Council was prevented from upholding its responsibility.

Mohamed Abushahab, deputy permanent representative of the United Arab Emirates to the UN, expressed his deep disappointment with its outcome. However, he noted that this disappointing outcome will not deter his country from continuing to implore Council members to act and bring the violence in Gaza to an end.

Children are seen at a temporary shelter in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Dec. 8, 2023. An estimated 1.9 million people are displaced in Gaza (about 85 percent of the population), lacking necessities such as food, water, dignified shelter, sanitation facilities and medical care, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Dmitry Polyanskiy, first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the UN, said that "today will become one of the darkest days in the Middle East" as the United States has once again blocked calls for a ceasefire.

Nicolas de Riviere, permanent representative of France to the UN, said that he voted in favor of the draft resolution, adding that France will continue to commit to fully mobilizing the Council on all aspects of the crisis, whether it is security, humanitarian or political.

Ishikane Kimihiro, permanent representative of Japan to the UN, said his delegation voted in favor of the draft as the loss of all civilian life, whether Palestinian or Israeli, is tragic. He also expressed regret that the text had failed to be adopted.