While the American president was visiting Tel Aviv on Wednesday October 18, the Biden administration in New York prevented the UN Security Council from taking a position on the Hamas attacks of October 7 and the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip. The United States vetoed a draft resolution that had been approved by twelve of the fifteen members of the Security Council.
The United Kingdom, Washington’s traditional ally, and Russia abstained. With this veto, the United States of Joe Biden appears to be returning to the classic American position of unconditional support for Israel at the UN; a very clear strategy of the Trump administration, but which had appeared more uncertain until now for that of Mr. Biden.
“It’s a missed opportunity for the Council, because it was a good text”, regretted the French representative to the UN, Nicolas de Rivière, who had just voted in favor of the resolution. Carried by Brazil, it condemned “Hamas’ heinous terrorist attacks and hostage-takings” And “any violence and hostility against civilians”. She also demanded “the immediate release of the hostages” Israelis and “humanitarian breaks” to enable the delivery of aid to Gazans, as well as full respect for international humanitarian law. “France will continue to work in the Security Council and in all UN bodies to come to the aid of civilian populations, and find a political solution to this crisis which has lasted too long”insisted the French representative.
“Hypocrisy”
“We are shocked and disappointed”said the Chinese ambassador, Zhang Jun, another permanent member of the Council who voted in favor of the text, while the Russian representative, Vassily Nebenzia, declared: “We have just witnessed the hypocrisy and double standards of our American counterparts. » The latter then assured the press that Moscow would not have vetoed it, even if the draft resolution was far from agreeing with it. Russia had created confusion by presenting its own text to the floor on Friday October 13, which did not obtain enough votes to be adopted three days later.
The American ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, justified her rejection of the text by the absence of mention of “Israel’s right to self-defense”. But, above all, Washington refused to allow the vote to take place on the same day as Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and could threaten “field diplomacy”. The day before, American diplomats had received a refusal by requesting a postponement of the vote; “the Council does not belong to the United States”the Brazilian president of the body would have declared, annoyed, according to a diplomatic source.
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