Russia, China veto US push for UN action on Israel, Gaza

Russia and China on Wednesday vetoed a US push resolution to the United Nations Security Council in favor of Israel on the Gaza conflict.

The US resolution shocked many diplomats with its bluntness in stating Israel has a right to defend itself and demanding Iran stop exporting arms to groups. It did not include a call for humanitarian pauses for aid access. But it largely toned down the final text that was put to the vote.

“We did listen to all of you,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the 15-member council after the double veto.

Ten members voted for the US resolution, while the United Arab Emirates voted no and Brazil and Mozambique abstained.

“The draft does not reflect the world’s strongest calls for a ceasefire, an end to the fighting, and it does not help resolve the issue,” China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun told the council after the vote. “At this moment, ceasefire is not just a diplomatic term. It means the life and death of many civilians.”

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the US of putting up a draft resolution that represented Security Council authorization of a ground offensive in Gaza by Israel “while thousands of Palestinian children will continue to die.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been appealing for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, which rules Gaza, in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,400 people. Israel has struck Gaza from the air, imposed a siege on the enclave of 2.3 million people and is preparing a ground invasion. Palestinian authorities say more than 6,500 have been killed.