The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution advanced by Algeria on Tuesday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Thirteen of the world body’s 15 member nations voted to support the resolution; Britain abstained despite repeated assurances that London supports Israel’s right to self-defense — and despite the fact that British nationals were among those murdered and kidnapped on October 7 by Hamas-led terrorists from Gaza.
“Proceeding with a vote today was wishful and irresponsible, and so while we cannot support a resolution that would put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy, we look forward to engaging on a text that we believe will address so many of the concerns we all share,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement following the vote.
The US has drafted its own proposed resolution calling for a six-week-long “temporary ceasefire” in the conflict that would include the release of the hostages kidnapped from Israel.
“Israel has been very clear since the beginning of this war,” government spokesperson Eylon Levy said Tuesday in response to Algeria’s resolution at a briefing prior to the vote.
“We are fighting in order to dismantle the Hamas military and governing
infrastructure in Gaza, to bring back all the hostages and make sure that Gaza can never again pose a threat to the people of Israel — and that is what we are going to continue doing.”
